Mahou Sensei Kain! Act 15!
by Chris-Sasami-Bunny
Summary: Another exciting installment! Can they defeat the evil Prince? What is going to happen next? Read on and see.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Prologue

The two halves of the door slid open, and the Prince strolled inside. Corai glanced back over his shoulder, then turned around, put a hand over his heart, and bowed. With a simple nod, the Obsidian Star's ruler moved past him and stared at the bubbling tank and the nearly-naked figure within it. Kain, reduced to his natural age, floated in the amber fluid, eyes closed, apparently bereft of consciousness, but not of motion; every twenty seconds or so he would twitch slightly or even thrash about in a brief but violent fit of some sort.

The Prince's baleful golden eyes carefully looked over the comatose captive. "How is it progressing?" he demanded of his scientist.

"Not very well, actually," Corai replied calmly. "He is perfect…perhaps too perfect. The inclusion of his mother's bloodline, the blood of the creators and rulers of this world, makes him an even better candidate than his father. And, of course, there is the additional alteration in his DNA from the magical power that has infused him. We need do nothing more in that respect; his body is in a state of infinite progression, all on its own. But that may be the problem as well as the benefit. His will is strong, and made all the stronger by that magic in his essence. He will not succumb to any of our manipulations at this point."

"Is that contract with the Celestial part of the reason?"

"No…apparently that contract has already been annulled. Of all things, the boy and the little girl treated it as nothing more than a trump card for that meaningless duel against Aiden Rylack. Of course, with the groundwork of that connection between the two laid, as they are both more than human, it would be easy to restore if they desired to, but right now, it is not interfering with our work. No, it is nothing more than his splendid, supernatural essence that interferes with us."

"And yet you don't seem particularly concerned over this difficulty." The Prince turned his head to fix a calculating stare on his underling.

"It is merely an inconvenience, hardly counting as a setback." Corai smiled slightly. "I still have many different options, many avenues of approach…this challenge, this golden reward, is an opportunity I have long dreamed of, since before my birth. As Horius I went to great lengths to acquire a merely mortal Kain Lockeheart for experimentation and study…this creature is far beyond that. It is difficult, but I have a particular experiment I'd like to try…."

"Stop playing about and tell me already," the Prince snapped.

Corai chuckled and turned away. Moving to a storage locker on the opposite wall, he opened the vessel, causing a cloud of some strange steam to come floating out, and he reached into it and removed…what seemed to be a still-beating heart. "This is an Infernal heart I have kept for some time, still alive and still filled with the monster's dark energy. Transplanting such a heart into any normal human, even a talented mage accustomed to Infernal mana like Lina Inverse, would kill them swiftly…far too much immortal vitality for a mortal form. But Kain Lockeheart is already immortal. He will have the physical might to survive, adapt, and integrate the new heart…but can his will survive the corruption? That…is quite unlikely…."

The Prince stared at it. Then a slow, vicious smile spread across his face. "Well done. I like it." He glanced back at the boy in the tube. "Yes…Kain Lockeheart…very soon you, too, will have the opportunity to serve me…even more than your father before you has…."

F I N

 _Author's Note: The Curtain Rises_

 _The Final Day in Arcanus Myrror dawns…is that teaser enough…? Well, here we are in the Climax. Things are looking dark for the heroes…and especially for Kain…._

 _I shouldn't say anything more yet. Let's continue onward with the action!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter One: New Divide

Luana sat quietly in her cell, bound to the small wooden chair. Sleep that night had been difficult to achieve in her position, to say nothing that the lack of ability to address her other necessities did to her. Still, she sat quietly, without struggling, without even cursing or bemoaning her fate. After all, she had been quite cognizant of what her fate would be when she acted…and she knew how her foes must perceive her now….

The cell door's locks clicked as they came undone, and the door swung ponderously open. She glanced up and stared at her visitor…Erstin Ho. Erstin's eyes were red and puffy from lack of sleep and crying. She stood there, staring down at the captive. "Ers- _chan_ ," Luana murmured. "That's funny…maybe I should have expected it…but I'm surprised that you're the first one to see me…."

"Why, Luana- _nee-chan_?" Erstin demanded. "Why…why did you do all of this?"

"What, 'all of this'?" Luana smiled slightly. "Whatever do you mean, Ers- _chan_ …? I'm simply following Eminus- _sama_ , as I always have."

"That's all you have to say for yourself!?" Erstin burst out. "All this…was that really Eminus- _sama_ 's will!? Nina- _chan_ …Nina- _chan_ was hurt so badly…she might not wake up…all of this is really what he wanted…what _you_ wanted…!?"

Luana waited several moments before replying. "We…always knew that you weren't one of the ones who could…handle the harder life. The path. You cried so hard when Eminus- _sama_ said you had to leave, when we took you to Wind Bloom. This is what we always wanted to save you from. This is the hard reality of the world, not the pleasant image painted behind safe walls and idealistic lessons. This world is hard, cruel, and as beautiful and wonderful as it can be at times, it is a place far from perfection. Right now, it is also the battleground between two opposing life forms. As humans, as denizens of this world, perhaps we should have always hated the Obsidian Star and what they were doing, but…because it was by them that we were saved, we felt we had no choice but to see things from their point of view. This world will know tragedy…but it will be reborn as something better. That's been the belief that's carried us. We never wanted anything to happen to you…or to any of your friends, really. It was misfortune that put all of you in the crossfire, a cruel quirk of fate that made all of you so vulnerable to this. I'm sorry for what happened, Ers- _chan_. But I'm not penitent. I can't be. I accepted tragedy as a possible outcome long ago. And whether I beg forgiveness or renounce all that I am and have done, I cannot undo the past, and it won't help your friend any." She shook her head. "You should go and leave me, Ers- _chan_. I was so, so happy to see you again, to see that so much good has happened to you…but now, nothing more but pain can come between us. Unless you plan to use me as the outlet for your vengeance, there's nothing for you here."

Erstin still stared at Luana for several long seconds, but the older girl simply looked away, no longer meeting her eyes. Then the heavy cell door opened again, and Nodoka and Shiho stepped inside. "That's enough, Ers- _chan_ ," Shiho said softly. "This girl has nothing else to offer you, as she said." Her eyes flashed devilishly. "For _us_ , however, it's a different story. In return for what her friends did to Nina- _chan_ , I'll make sure to learn _everything_ she knows and especially the very _worst_ …."

"W-we shouldn't be too cruel…" Nodoka objected as Erstin quickly vacated the room. "Even this…it's a little much…she's not responsible for…."

"Those who support the evil organization knowingly are just as responsible for everything they do," Shiho countered. "People can't get off saying they are nothing but secretaries for the mass-murdering megalomaniac. Even if she isn't personally responsible, she's enabled it all, and she _is_ responsible for the kidnapping of your beloved _sensei_. You can't act as if _you_ don't have any ill feelings towards her, after all…."

But Shiho was surprised by the strength in the mousy girl's returned stare. "No. That doesn't matter. That kind of thing is what makes us different from them…we can't just…give in to hate…Kain- _sensei_ refused to, after all. If I…betrayed that…I'd hate myself more than I'd hate anyone else…."

As Shiho found herself reluctantly subdued by Nodoka's determined moral stand, Luana chuckled and said, "Well, as noble as your moral high ground is, little mind-reader, the HiME- _chan_ is quite right. I won't excuse myself. We're on opposite sides…so while I say I might not approve of everything that happens, I'm still supporting it, and, from your point of view, I'm a villain." She glanced up at them with a smile. "From your speech, HiME- _chan_ , I suppose you have some method of reading minds as well as this one…you're Miyazaki Nodoka- _chan_ , right? Well, go ahead and ask any questions you like. I'll tell you everything I know. After all, I know it's pointless to resist."

8-8-8

It was still quite early. The recent interrogation of Luana had taken place before dawn had officially broken—few had found sleep an easy prey to catch that night. But now a crowd had gathered—most of the Soul Reapers, Kisuke and Yoruichi, Artoria and her knights, Mashiro and the HiME pillars, Takamichi, Meia, and the rest of their team, Kurt, Makarov and several of his best guildmembers, including 'Team Natsu', Jade and Overcast, Delryn, Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis, Minsc and Aerie, Inuyasha, and many of Kain's students, particularly Kagome, Nodoka, Yue, Chisame, Erika, and Hinagiku, along with Shiho, who entered last alongside Nodoka.

"So, did our young interrogators learn anything useful?" Shinji asked the final pair.

"Er, y-yes, quite a bit," Nodoka returned, glancing down at the book in her hands. She then turned her gaze Shiho's way briefly, but the other girl only nodded silently and smiled slightly at her. Gulping in a deep, steadying breath, Nodoka explained, "M-most of what we suspected was confirmed…last night the Obsidian Star 'officially' revived, by restoring the Obsidian Palace and placing it atop the replicated land of Takiva, the island-nation they are now calling 'Eldrant'. The Obsidian Prince has been revived in…in the body of Kalan Lockeheart. An impenetrable shield of time-space energy has surrounded the land around Orimus at a radius of fifteen kilometers, preventing any exit or entry; and the Obsidian Star has restarted the same ritual they attempted twenty years ago, to bring the seven worlds of this Reality Sphere together in order to create a new, permanent world of endless mana."

"But how did they get the ritual started?" Kurt demanded, pushing at his glasses. The man still showed signs of injury he had received at the hands of his 'old friend', Takamichi, but obviously, once the Obsidian Star had been recognized as on the offensive last night, the two had postponed their own battle in order to defend the city. Kurt pressed: "Previously, they used the Crystal Princess, who sat in a throne in the Obsidian Palace that enabled them to use her power to alter the 'codes' of the realities of the seven worlds. It took them several hundred years to construct her and make the appropriate preparations…I do not believe she could have been replaced so easily, but if what you say is true, they began the ritual before they captured Mai Alusia Hairen Takiva…."

"Before they captured Tokiha Mai," Kisuke corrected. "Although that distinction makes little difference to us right now. Well, as to the how…I have suspicions, but no complete evidence. Previously, the three scientist brothers, Horius, Kalovus and Koltas Corai, worked diligently to acquire three powerful artifacts: The Always One, the Marble, and the Shapesphere. With those objects, you could theoretically build a kind of world-creating device."

He glanced over at Nodoka, who nodded in confirmation. "Yes…they created an artifact from those, the Obsidian Heart…."

"The Obsidian Heart…naturally. That would still only be part of it, though. They would need the royal blood of Kanev, of the creator of this world, to enable their ritual to exert dominance over those seven worlds…."

"I think they did have one before reclaiming Mai," Kamo murmured from his quiet position on Hinagiku's shoulder. As the gazes turned to him in surprise, he continued, "I never wanted to say anything before, because I didn't think it would do us much good; but in this situation, I think we may need to know about it. It's about the last known whereabouts and conditions of Kalan Lockeheart and Aeli Kanna…Lockeheart. As you all know, I accompanied the Red Wings during the last war, but when it was over, I took off on my own—I am a heroic spirit, after all, and the heroic actions of this generation were over at that point, so I missed most everything that happened in the twenty years since. By the time I dropped back in, Kalan was already gone. A little six-year-old kid named Kain Lockeheart was getting himself into trouble, though, and I saved him from a pack of wolves, then starting keeping an eye on him. I didn't 'officially' come back until his life was threatened at Mahora by Alysaser, the Herdsman. Since then I've been supporting him, but I really had no more idea than he did where his father was.

"But then, at Kyoto, we encountered Pakrov Eminus, and I knew the Obsidian Star was back…and I was worried. But I couldn't learn anything more until the Mahora Festival, when Jynx revealed himself to Kain in order to fulfill an old promise to his friend. Afterwards, we met with Jynx, who had somehow been essentially killed but had his life redirected by Kalan's peerless magic so that he could 'respawn' at Mahora Academy, in his specially-made dungeon underneath Library Island. Jynx shared a few secrets with Kain…but only talked in detail to me. And what I learned…would not have helped the kid, so I didn't pass it on… but here it is.

"After the war, when everyone went their way, Jynx felt compelled to stick with Kalan, even after they rescued Aeli and the two were married. When she became pregnant, they brought Mira in to help take care of her while Kalan and Jynx continued their adventures, hunting down dangerous magical monsters or rogue mages, the usual. The plan, however, was that after Kain was born, Kalan would take a breather and settle down, and Jynx was finally going his own way into Arcanus Myrror, and from there…well, it doesn't matter now. But one fateful December day, after Kain was born, just days before Jynx was going to depart, some crisis caught their attention, and the two men went out to deal with it, and while they were gone, a mysterious enemy attacked their home. Aeli had Mira take Kain and flee, and…the attacker took her. Kalan and Jynx returned, and immediately began to track the perpetrator…back into Arcanus Myrror. That was the last Mira ever saw of any of them, leaving her to start raising Kain alone, along with Kalan's uncle Harold.

"Jynx related the story further: they tracked the attacker to an obscure, isolated cave, and met him: another Eminus, like the ones they fought during the war, but this one, Pakrov Eminus, was quite different: the previous ones had all been clearly marked with the colors of their associated element in eyes and hair, but this one had multi-toned locks and heterochromatic eyes. He also wielded the powers of all four basic elements…and he was far stronger than any they had previously fought. He critically wounded Jynx before Kalan defeated him, and so Kalan had Jynx sent back to that 'respawn point' he'd made. And after that…well, we don't have anyone's word on what happened…."

"W-well…Luana- _san_ was aware of the events," Nodoka replied. "I suppose…Eminus- _san_ must have told her about it. Kalan- _san_ entered that cave afterwards in pursuit of Aeli- _sama_ , and found…the original Eminus- _san_ , the scientist of the Obsidian Star who created them all. Kalan killed him, but…Pakrov Eminus- _san_ was able to, well, 'rebuild' himself as 'the Remnant' of Eminus. He attacked Kalan- _san_ from behind, and weakened him enough that…that the essence of the Obsidian Prince was able to possess him. But…he couldn't gain complete control…not immediately. Kalan- _san_ wandered far from everyone he knew for ten years, too afraid of what he might do if and when he lost control to the Obsidian Prince, until he had no choice but to save Kain- _sensei_ when he was a child…."

"That answers a lot of questions," Takamichi murmured. "It's…tragic to hear, but at least it settles matters. Aeli and Kalan both…now captives of the Obsidian Star, being used by them. Obviously, however, retrieving Mai- _kun_ —the Crystal Princess—has been one of their paramount goals, but why would this Luana- _kun_ sacrifice herself in order to capture Kain- _kun_ as well? Why do they need him so badly…?"

"W-well…as Kuchiki- _taichô_ revealed yesterday, although the Obsidian Prince is…is possessing Kalan- _san_ 's body, Kalan- _san_ is…resisting him, or restricting him somehow. He doesn't have access to Kalan- _san_ 's power and strength, but neither does he have his own full powers. He's looking…for a better body to possess…and Kain- _sensei_ 's body, now so magically…changed…is perfect for him…."

"W-we can't let that happen!" Hinagiku suddenly burst out. "We can't let them take Kain- _sensei_ away from us!"

"But…can they succeed?" Yue queried. "Kalan- _san_ was an Archmage of the highest caliber, yet he is still a mere mortal, and he has apparently succeeded in resisting him to a great degree. But Kain- _san_ …is more than a mortal now. Those very traits of his that they covet, would very likely also resist them…they would need something to break him down and make him weak enough to be taken over."

"That is enough," Byakuya Kuchiki rumbled. "That information—all these facts—are welcome for our understanding, but we've heard all we need to in that regard. Whether or not they possess a means to take possession of the body of Kain Lockeheart is not our current concern. It does not change our overall objective—we must find a means to enter the Obsidian Palace, defeat the Prince, destroy whatever machinations they have created to enable this ritual, and rescue those they have captured. Therefore, the important information, what we need to know, is: are there any means we can use to infiltrate the Obsidian Palace? Did the captive provide any useful information of this type?"

Nodoka looked at him fearfully, softly, before slowly nodding. "Y-yes. Luana- _san_ gave us all the information she has on Eldrant and the Palace…its security systems, traps, safe points…and the likely location of the Crystal Princess."

"Then that's what we need," Meia declared. "We should prepare a team and attack as soon as we are able."

"Right!" Hinagiku insisted. "We'll get ready to go! We have to…!"

"No, I don't think so," Meia interjected. As the group looked at her in surprise, she continued, "None of the children can be permitted to go. It is far too dangerous. Our foremost duty is to keep you safe…and this last battle proves that this is beyond you…."

"It is well-said," Byakuya agreed. "We cannot be nursemaids and still battle the Obsidian Star. The children of Mahora Academy must remain here…none of you are prepared for this."

As the multitude of young ladies present began to protest this, a loud cough from Delryn silenced them all. "Well…I hope you aren't planning on including me in that description, Byakuya. Rather, you should reconsider that whole position." As Byakuya fixed his cold stare on the young man, Delryn continued, "How do you suggest we get everyone out of danger? Right now, we're all sealed inside this magical sphere. We're stuck here until the Obsidian Star is defeated. So where can we go that's safe? We just sit here and wait for the battles to get over, and hope it all works out? There's nowhere to go."

He gestured to the collection of young ladies behind him. "These girls all need to get home. True, this crisis takes priority, but from what we've learned, the Gate that might go there is now inside that palace. Who knows what'll happen to it even if we're successful? It might be too far drained to be of use, or something. We need to rescue everyone and get them over to Earth while we can."

"The need to return these to their origin is hardly reason to expose them to danger such as this," Byakuya replied. "To wish to include them in a war for such a reason…."

"I don't disagree," Delryn assured him quickly. "If we could guarantee their safety at the cost of returning them home, I'd be with you pushing for it. But as I said, there's no guaranteed safety right now. We've seen that they can practically strike at us where and when they like right now. So if we can't keep them totally safe, why kill their chance to get home as well?

"But far more importantly, I think we need everyone…everyone here. You, me, the White Wings, the _hinigami_ , the HiME, knights and BattleMages…everyone who can lend a hand needs to be part of this. It's just like when we had to rescue Erika from them. We're probably going to need the same sort of strategy here…one group to assault the citadel and draw their forces and attention, and one to sneak in where we can in order to break them from the inside…rescue Kain and the rest…and get them home. Even you guys don't have the forces here to pull all that off on your own."

"We're more than qualified for that," Kiami added with her quiet smile. "We have some of the best artifacts for stealth missions…most of which they should be quite unprepared for."

"We're ready for this," Hinagiku insisted. "If we're together and prepared, not even the Obsidian Star will be able to beat us!"

"You seem quite determined," Retsu Unohana suddenly interrupted. "That's good. But can you really endure this danger? All of you suffered quite gravely at the hands of the Obsidian Star last night. If you invade them, attack them in their home, you may face such beings again…or worse. Are you prepared for that?"

There was a sigh and chuckle from Chisame, and all the attention focused on her. The girl who was dynamite before her camera and yet helpless when exposed in reality coolly accepted all the attention with a sad smile. "Really, now…isn't it late for all of that? We've all made those decisions…many times over. Goodness, how I wish we could just run away…but like Delryn says, we've come too far for that. We're in danger no matter what we do. So we might as well do everything we can.

"And inside…there's Kain- _sensei_ , Tokiha, Kalan- _san_ , and Aeli- _hime_. And you guys may think they're your responsibility…but they're not. They're ours. We're Kain- _sensei_ 's disciples, and we've sworn ourselves to contracts with him and promised to help him out. Tokiha is our beloved president. And we all promised to help Kain - _sensei_ in his quest to find his father…and now his mother has become part of the same equation. Rescuing them is _our_ job. If we can't handle that…well, I've been with these loonies for too long. I don't think it's possible for them to fail in this situation."

"We've got to do it!" exclaimed Kaoru.

"No matter what, we have to be part of this," insisted Riku.

"There's no point to leaving us behind," supplied Erika.

"They're _our_ friends! We have to do our part!" added Kagome.

"But still…" Tôshirô began.

"Let them go." The quiet speaker of this phrase was, surprisingly, Kurt Gödel. "They need to do it." He shook his head. "I suppose those of you who are against it never were in this position before, but I can see it…can't you, Takamichi? We once walked this same path. Although children, we insisted on following Kalan Lockeheart because we had nowhere else to go. Really, it's the same for these. What does it matter if they are safe, if they cannot return home, or be reunited with their friends? And that, that determination, more than anything else, perhaps, is what we require right now."

"Kalan Lockeheart was only fifteen years old when the war was won," Takamichi agreed. "Now…we can't say that this generation isn't in the hands of these girls…."

Shunsui chuckled, fingering his hat. "Well said, all of you. I'd say they're right…we have to do something. If it's just us invading, we'll be pretty obvious, and they'll be able to focus all their strength on us in their territory. If we split our main forces, will we have enough to stand up to them? Anyone who attacks the Palace will almost certainly face the full might of the Obsidian Star. We can't leave that to anyone else but the adults…so it's best to let the kids try and get to their _sensei_."

Meia gave a resigned sigh. "Very well, then. It's become obvious the tide of popular opinion has turned against me. It's out of my hands."

"We should prepare ourselves for battle," Jade put in. "We can probably spare up to two hours, but no longer. Make sure each of you is ready. We'll begin making the strategy."

As the group began to break up, Mashiro suddenly called out. "Chisame- _san_. Delryn." The two youths looked at her in surprise, and she motioned to them. "Come with me, please. There's something you should see."

8-8-8

Delryn's and Chisame's curiosity only increased as Mashiro (pushed along, as always, by Fumi) led them into the infirmary. Fumi opened one particular door and moved Mashiro out of the way, and the small girl gestured for the two to enter.

They did so, Delryn boldly leading and Chisame following carefully behind. Delryn's surprise redoubled as they spotted the woman sitting on the room's bed, obscuring the invalid occupant. "Mom? What are you…?"

And then both youths yelped as Iria turned to regard them…and Aiden leaned forward into their sight. "Hey, kids. How's it shaking?"

Both youths yelped and began to yell. Delryn overpowered Chisame and proclaimed, "What the hell, Dad!? I thought you were dead!"

"I was. I'm better now."

"You're better now!?" shrieked Chisame. "As if last night wasn't bad enough for us, with that creepy governor, the Obsidian Star attacking, that black phantom kicking our butts, the Obsidian Palace reappearing, and then Kain and Tokiha getting abducted…to top it all off, when we got back together they told me you were dead! Killed by the Prince! Our #1 trump card, knocked off when he was off-camera, like he was some redshirt! And NOW you show up out of nowhere, and you're 'better now'!? WHAT THE HELL!?"

Aiden laughed. "Well, that's how it is… _my_ last trump card, as it were. They killed me, sure, but I designed a spell to take care of it."

Chisame sighed, calming. "Sheesh, such a broken character…you even had a spell designed to cheat death?" Then she stopped and squinted, looking at him carefully. "Oi, wait a minute…what is this, new and improved model?"

So flummoxed were the two youths by the initial encounter that they failed to notice, but there was something…certainly different about him. He looked 10-15 years younger, in point of fact. Now that attention had been drawn to it, Delryn noticed too. "What the…what kind of trick is this, Dad? You replace yourself with a clone of some sort now?"

"Something like that. 'Touch of the Grail' is an Entropy spell I've been working on for a long time…Kalan wasn't the only one researching about how to cheat death. After suffering a mortal wound I go into a random regeneration, warping either forwards or backwards chronologically…meaning I could end up younger _or_ older. It's Entropy magic, so I can't choose—it's the potential drawback involved."

"Naturally, knowing his luck, he got his prime back," Iria said mock-scathingly. "Well, this is going to be really bad for me…the young firebrand has returned, and I'm still heading on the downhill of aging…."

"Oh, stop right there," Aiden said. "We'll discuss that kind of stuff after we put the kids to bed." Turning back to the pair, he said, "Well, if you're looking at me to be your savior riding in on a white horse, you better think again. I'm going to need time to recover from my 'regeneration'." He glanced between the pair, one to the other. "You wanted this, Kid. A chance to show me up…you're going to have to play the hero part, now." Then, to Chisame: "And you've lost your teacher and your team leader. You got plans to handle that?"

Chisame sighed. "Yes…we'll have to. No idea how we're even going to do it yet, but…it's all we can do."

A few rooms down, Nodoka and Yue were conversing outside in the hall.

"H-how…how is she…?"

The two gazed into the room, at Nina lying in the bed, her eyes closed, and Sargon sitting in the chair next to her, gripping her hand in his, and Arika sitting in another chair on the opposite side, sprawled across the bed in sleep.

Yue was silent for several moments. "She's fine…physically, she's fully healed, but…she won't wake up…even Kagome- _san_ was unable to do more for her…."

"…I see…."

Yue shook her head and started away. "There's nothing more we can do here, Nodoka. We've...got to get ready, right?"

"Y-yes…." Nodoka hurried after her friend. "But, we have just a little time. I was…hoping to talk to you…because…your memory's returned, right…?"

"Y-yes, it has," Yue admitted. "I've remembered all kinds of things…about Mahora Academy, about Ami, and Yoshida- _san_ and Ogata- _san_ , and how we were members of the Library Exploration Club, and, well…the best of friends…."

Nodoka lit up in a truly visible way. "Yes, yes, that's right! The best of friends!" She grabbed Yue's hands, fairly bursting and overflowing with excitement. She had been waiting for this 'reunion' for more than four months, and meeting her best, most precious friend with her memory sealed had been perhaps even crueler than not seeing her at all. Now, to officially have her friend back….

"But…that's as far as it goes," Yue continued.

This brought Nodoka up short. In response to Nodoka's confused expression, Yue continued, eyes downcast, "I can only remember up to the winter of our second year of middle school; after that, there's nothing but indistinct fragments. I can't remember anything about Kain… _san_ …or about how you and I ended up here in the magical world…. I can't grasp the connection between the magical world and our old world…it's like I'm remembering two completely different lives…."

Nodoka considered her friend carefully. _('I see…so she's still missing the memories of everything that happened since Kain-_ sensei _came to our school…?')_ Aloud, she said, "But it was a magical discharge accident, right? I'm sure you'll remember the rest soon!"

"I-I'd sure like to think so…."

"Ah, but Yue…it's not 'Kain- _san_ ', but 'Kain- _sensei_ '! He became our official teacher for our third year."

"O-our class teacher…y-yes, you've talked about that over…the past month…but putting that in perspective with my knowledge of Mahora Academy now…that doesn't make sense! He's just a boy our age, isn't he? Or…does he use that Kalan- _san_ disguise at school…?"

"No, nothing like that…Kain- _sensei_ is just really, really smart! And then both of us fell head-over-heels for him…really looked up to him…and we both decided that we'd become great mages one day, just like Kain- _sensei_!"

As Nodoka began to pace around, dreamily recalling her happy memories, her words impressed a set of different sensations on Yue. _('F-fell head-over-heels? W-what exactly does she mean by that? W-we're not normal teenage girls, obsessed with romance, unless something really weird happened to us at the end of our second year. Both of us at once? S-something isn't….')_ "N-Nodoka…you're saying we fell for Kain… _sensei_ …at the same time…?"

"Eh? W-well, no…I…he saved me, and…I guess I fell for him first…but you fell for him along the way, too, which really isn't surprising at all…."

 _('No, no, that can't be right! If Nodoka actually had a boy she liked, there's no way I'd fall for the same person! I wouldn't dare do that to her! O-obviously she mistook my, what must have been just intense admiration for the brilliant mage, yes, she must have mistaken that for romantic feelings. These restless emotions that I've been feeling recently must be some sort of strange side-effect of the memory loss, and letting them go unchecked would be the greatest betrayal to my friend Nodoka….')_

She finally noticed that Nodoka's face had fallen. She was staring out the window at the pre-dawn light somewhat sadly, concernedly. "Kain- _sensei_ …" she murmured.

 _('That's right….')_ "Don't worry, Nodoka," Yue told her. "We'll save him…we have to, right?"

"Y-yes, of course," Nodoka replied, wiping at her eye and turning to her friend, and flashing her a brave smile. "Of course! We'll save him, and Mai- _san_ , and his parents, and…and Nina- _san_ will be okay, too!"

8-8-8

Luana ate her food in silence. She wasn't thinking about much, at the moment—it was easier that way—but she was grateful that, following her interrogation, she had been released from her bonds and allowed to take care of her necessities properly. She expected nothing more, however, and was surprised when her cell door opened again. She turned and stared at Kazumi as the girl entered, the door sliding shut behind her.

"Another visitor? How unexpected! You are…Yoshida Kazumi- _san_ , yes? What could you possibly want from me?"

Kazumi's look was unreadable. Like Nodoka, Kazumi, a normally shy and rather reclusive girl who clung to support from her friends, had been forced to toughen and grow up over the course of the past few months. Now, as she looked the girl over, Luana saw a measure of that new strength in her face, but nothing else familiar...as she had pretty much stated, she could hardly imagine anyone would have anything to do with her now, since her usefulness had pretty much been expended and her captors were both humane and reasonable. The extensive information the Obsidian Star had on Kain and his companions noted that this girl was one of the starry-eyed waifs here exclusively because of Kain, a girl who fancied herself completely in love with the man and willing to do anything, even brave this completely alien and dangerous world, in order to get just a little bit closer to him. Luana thought that such a girl, upon losing her beloved lord, would feel fury and rage towards the one responsible for taking him away, and that perhaps might be reason to come here, for personal revenge, but there was no vengeance in Kazumi's eyes. There was something more along the lines of…perhaps…understanding and acceptance…?

"I just wanted to meet you," Kazumi finally said. "As I thought, you…don't seem like such a monster. So many of the Obsidian Star's people are creatures, beasts, but…here you are, as normal a girl as any of us. You…are a part of them, and willingly…."

"So, you can't understand it." Luana chuckled self-deprecatingly. "You don't understand how a normal girl can serve such a monstrous entity, can seek the destruction of the world? You're right…it's probably something you can't understand…."

To her surprise, Kazumi shook her head. "No. I do understand." She held up Luana's card. "This is the reason. Because of him…Pakrov Eminus."

Luana was silent. She considered the girl carefully, wondering where she was going with this. "To us, Eminus- _san_ is, like you said…a monster. He's done so many horrible things to us…he's a leader of this group, trying to 'destroy the world'. But…to you he's much more, isn't he? You…understand him. You love him. He's important to you, and you would do anything for him…just like we would do anything for Kain- _sensei_."

Luana was quite bemused. "Is that what this is? You think…that we're alike…?"

"That's exactly what this is. I do understand you, Luana- _san_ , and I think that you can understand us. I think that we can understand each other…as girls who are in love. I…I've seen a lot of violence, and fighting, and pain ever since this began…and I don't like it. I've…chosen this path, because of Kain- _sensei_ , but…I still don't like it, and I don't think it has to continue. Whatever the Obsidian Star may seem, they have real people there…they are people just like us. You and Eminus- _san_ are proof of that. Even if you say 'destroy the world', I'm sure a girl like you couldn't be part of something really that awful. But we've decided that there is nothing else except to destroy each other…that we can't coexist. I can't believe that's true! There has to be a way…."

Luana smiled sadly, shook her head, and held up a hand to forestall the girl. "No. That's wonderful thinking, Kazumi- _san_ , it really is, but it's naïve. You may think that I and others of my friends don't want to fight, and might be able to convince our prince to stand down…but there is no other way. You're…right, I suppose. I do love Eminus- _sama._ We all do. That's why we follow him. It's very simple. He saved all of us, most of us when we were young. But we know he didn't do it out of compassion, nor really out of any desire to use us. In all honesty, we've never merited even that much consideration in his eyes. He is simply a created being, an artificial creature, a golem made to do the Obsidian Star's bidding. He has a kind of faux humanity created into him, which gives a measure of autonomy, originality, and emotions, but they are truly secondary to him. Mere curiosity led him to develop the most altruistic hobby of collecting war orphans and then sending them off to better lives throughout the civilized kingdoms. But some of us have just put too much stock in that debt. Even so, he is a creature of the Obsidian Star. He will do their bidding…and right now, our prince is enacting a plan which will bring an end to these worlds of man."

Kazumi stared in shock, wide-eyed. "But…that would…how can you support that…? How can you stand there and say with a straight face that you love the man who's trying to bring an end to everything you know…? I-I mean…he saved you, of course…but if you don't even believe he has any feelings at all about you, about what he's done, and…."

Luana clucked reprovingly. "I told you, Kazumi- _san_ …you can't really understand. But you see…we have nothing else in our lives. Everything I had before, what little I even really remember, is all gone. I've never had anything else in my life. Certainly, there're plenty of good things in these worlds…and people I care about, even if it's only my fellow servants of the man…but we've seen the darkest, ugliest side of it. Misery and suffering are rampant. When you think of that, the idea of it ending isn't so bad. And once you've seen what the Obsidian Star really is…and what they are really going to accomplish…it can certainly change one's mind…."

8-8-8

"Truth be told, they can even be terrifying for us, Infernals, monsters who feel no fear," Xellos told Lina and Zelgadis. "Especially their Prince. The Obsidian Star was born countless ages ago. They have journeyed so far across time and space that it's meaningless to attach mortal numbers to them. How they began…I think only the Obsidian Prince himself could tell you, as he is truly their god. He rose to become the ultimate pinnacle of magic and beyond, likely by consuming an entire world. He may very well have been mortal himself, once, just a mortal mage, who used magic to ascend himself to something metahuman, like Kain- _kun_ is now, and then beyond that. Probably too far…Kain- _kun_ has become a being that _exudes_ mana, but the Obsidian Prince, in his true form, is something so great he _consumes_ it. And so he's had to journey from magical world to magical world, each time performing the same ritual: using his godlike powers to build his empire on that world, conquering it, and then consuming it. There are a nearly limitless number of magical worlds out there for him to consume, but I suppose the same old thing would get wearying after a while. Which is why he's now chosen to use this world as best he can: by combining these seven worlds into one, a perpetual magic world that will feed him indefinitely."

"But what about the humans of these worlds?" Lina demanded. "Van Grants and all those girls seem to follow him so willingly…are they that obsessed with the destruction of the worlds themselves?"

"Well, a fine question. It's hard to say…on previous worlds, from what we've been able to learn, humans were little more than insects, not even capable of enough magic to be worth consuming. Here, however…he does seem to have some interest in them. Perhaps it was simply from the years he spent cultivating his Crystal Princess. Perhaps, after the blow Kalan Lockeheart dealt him in the last war, he's simply so desperate for help he'll allow humans anything as long as they serve him. Perhaps there is a small portion of humanity in him that wishes to preserve some of your race this time around since this special world will make it possible, to make up for the untold trillions he's decimated. It's likely not altruism, in any case. But that floating island of Eldrant and the dream world of Cosmo Entelecheia seem to play a major part in his plan. Those humans who are truly exceptional, if they now serve the Obsidian Star or are willing to bow to it, will serve as the living human governors of Eldrant, and many other select members of the mortal races, perhaps millions, will be made to join the dream realm of Cosmo Entelecheia, where they will live out perfect lives of their own mental fabrication. It will, in a fashion, be a certain kind of utopia…you could certainly say that such a happy paradise would be worth the destruction of an ugly, flawed world of pain, misery, and injustice.

"There's more, of course…it is just a suspicion, but with this seven-world mana engine completed, it might very well be possible for the Obsidian Prince to _manifest_ select dream worlds into actual realities. However much of his humanity remains, we can't know, but as one immortal creature who is interested in mortal races observing another, I can say this: the potential enjoyment of an infinite number of created possibilities, of all these human interactions, would be…very appealing…."

"If you admire those possibilities that much, I'm surprised you're siding with us," Zelgadis growled.

Xellos laughed. "Well, for _our_ part, as fun as the wanton desires of humanity unchained can be, they really couldn't offer us anything. We are bound to these seven worlds, and we survive off of the negative emotions, the dark soular energy, of the mortal races there. Creating this new world and accomplishing the rest of this would leave us with basically no food resources, as it were. So naturally we can't let them succeed…."

8-8-8

Kazumi stared in shock. "Y-you know…all this…and yet still you…?"

"You might call all of us cowards, or defeatists," Luana informed her. "We've seen it…we've been shown the breadth of the Obsidian Star's influence, of the marks of its power, entire worlds left dark in its wake. Part of our decision…comes because we don't have the will or power to oppose that, not after it was responsible for our lives, too. And furthermore…with this world, these possibilities, using _these_ worlds to make one perfect world…not only can we end misery and suffering on this world, but by making this a permanent home of the Obsidian Star, by giving access to all the created worlds they could want or need, thousands or millions more worlds in the future will be left alone, untouched by that consuming greed. For us, that's a sacrifice worth making…you may think us monsters, but we have no friends or family, no one, nothing precious to us except for our companions here in the Obsidian Star. But for you…you have your beloved _Sensei_ , your other friends, family back on Earth. There's no way you could accept this as we have. We know that. And that's why we can never agree about this matter. I appreciate your willingness to try to accept us…but we've made our bed, and we're willing to lie in it."

Kazumi was silent, but a new voice suddenly cut in. "That's a very admirable sentiment, in its way," Jade mentioned, striding forward and pushing at his glasses. "Of course, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions…and the wrong thing done for the right reason is still wrong. Those are ghosts that we will never be able to exorcise. In any case, Miss Luana, we're planning on assaulting the Obsidian Palace now. You have already been very helpful to us, but…it would probably be most useful if you accompanied us inside. If you have no objections."

Luana stared in surprise, then smiled slightly. "I see. I understand. I suppose I don't _really_ have a choice, so I'll cooperate…otherwise, it would be simple for you to haul me around tied-up and have one of those mind-readers using me, right?"

"We appreciate your understanding and cooperation," Jade said. "Miss Kazumi…we're getting our plans ready. Let's leave our guest here to finish her meal before we go." And he turned and walked out.

Kazumi hurried after him, pausing as Jade stopped to close and lock the cell door. "Jade…you're…heading inside with us…?"

"I am. Most of the adults will be acting as your diversion, assaulting the base directly…but I have a duty inside. That place is a replication of the original Orimus, which means it was created with my replication data. It is my sin and my mistake that are responsible for its creation…so I have to go inside with you to remedy my mistake, whatever the cost. There is some sort of engine inside responsible for the replication, so I must find it and destroy it. I trust I won't be a burden…?"

"A-ah, well…I can't say for certain…but I'm sure you won't…."

8-8-8

Kajirô stared out at the dawn light, the sun rising in the eastern horizon, still visible, if only slightly, even through the obscuring dark globe that enshrouded them. His thoughts were not on the light, of course….

"Is this where you are? Kaji- _kun_ , everyone's getting ready…we should get going…."

Kajirô glanced back at the figure interrupting his peace. "Do we…have to, Hinagiku- _san_? Can't we…just forget about it…?"

"What?" Hinagiku stared hard at him. "Kaji- _kun_ , what are you talking about? What's gotten into you?"

"Sorry." The boy turned and stared back out the window again. "I know, there's…there's no choice…but I just really don't want to go. I don't want to go. And I don't want you to go. I don't want…to face that danger again. But…we have no choice, do we? We're already in too deep. The Obsidian Star has us, and now…it's us or them." He turned back to the girl. "How are you holding up?"

"What? What are you talking about? Of course I'm fine…."

"No, I mean…what about Kain- _kun_? He's…been captured by the enemy. That can't be easy for you, more than anyone else…."

Hinagiku hesitated. "Of course…i-it's hard, but…that's the point, isn't it? He's been taken…so we have to get him back. There's no one else to do it, so we've got to! That's what we've gained all our power for." She paused. "Are you…afraid, Kaji- _kun_?"

"Ah…got it in one." Kajirô's tone was somewhat condescending, and Hinagiku narrowed her eyes at him, but he continued easily, "I…never wanted this. The fighting, the war, the magical intrigue and the rest…but I agreed, against my better instincts, to be part of this force, for…well, for good enough reasons, I suppose. But…after last night…I really thought I was going to die, but that wasn't even the worst of it. But…that…well…in any case, now we have to go directly into that dangerous place, right into their maw. I…am just so afraid…I know…it will only be even more terrible this time…."

Hinagiku shook her head. "That's enough, Kaji- _kun_! I…can understand how you feel…it was a terrible experience…but we can't let it frighten us away, right? We have our duty to our friends, our classmates, and the dignity of our school to think of! What's more…for you there's…that girl, the one you like, right? You can't give up now…you can't be afraid. You have to keep living, so that you can finally confess your love to her, right? If we don't do this…if we don't finish it…then you'll never get that opportunity. "

Kajirô turned a wry smile on the girl. "And…what about you and Kain- _sensei_? I suppose that you have to survive this, so…."

Hinagiku started. "T-that is…I-I mean…I-I don't…!" She shook her head. "N-never mind that! I don't know what you're talking about! We just have to save him. But you…there shouldn't be anything wrong with you confessing to someone who is just your friend and peer."

"No…not right now. We'll see. When it time is right…."

"Well, then…we'll have to survive, won't we? All of us…so that we can live to see that day." She turned away. "Well…there's no reason you _have_ to come with us. We can't force you to go into that danger…we can't force anyone into something like this. But…."

"No." Kajirô turned and started after her. "Sorry for worrying you. You're right…maybe I could be forgiven for abandoning the fight here…but I could never forgive myself. Let's go, Hinagiku- _san_ …our friends are waiting."

8-8-8

Arika awoke, yawned widely, and glanced, blinking sleepily, at the source of the sound that had awoken her. She started into higher alertness from the sight of pair. "Yue- _chan_ …Shiho- _chan_!"

Sargon also stirred and glanced up. Irina and Erstin, now sitting on the other side of the room, were the last to rouse themselves. Yue hesitated, but Shiho jabbed her in the back with her elbow, eliciting a muted shriek and suddenly prompting her to gush forth her intended message. "W-well, the thing is…I…we all are…going now. To the Obsidian Palace. I…have recovered some of my memories, finally, and I know…who I was…and…I belong on that side. I…I hate to leave you…especially with…Nina- _san_ like this…."

She hesitated, squirming, but the group remained silent, letting her prepare her thoughts. "Well…I…I don't know what I can say. It feels…it just feels wrong to leave when all this is happening…with Nina- _san_ like this…but…you see, there's even a chance that…."

"N-no, that's enough, Yue- _chan_ ," Irina put in suddenly. "We…we understand…and Nina- _chan_ would, too…you have to do this, more than anything. We're…we're sad to see you go…but…."

"No!" Arika suddenly cried. She stood up and whirled to face Yue. "You're going…to fight them, right!? Regardless…of whether you can use their Gate or not…you have to fight the ones who did this to Nina- _chan_ , right!? I'm going too! I'm going to get them for what they did to Nina- _chan_!"

"A-Arika- _chan_ …" Erstin objected. "Y-you can't really mean that…to go into that danger…!"

"Yue- _chan_ and all her friends are going into that danger! I can't let her face that alone! I have to help…whatever happens!"

"N-no, Arika," Yue tried. "You don't have to…."

"I do! I can't let this go on anymore! I'm a HiME just like my mother, and I can't just let this go on! I can't let them get away with this!"

Arika stopped her rant to catch her breath, and Sargon chuckled. The girls all glanced at him, and he said, "You're very enthusiastic, Arika- _chan_. I would hate to see you go…after this has happened to Nina, I would hate to see it happen to you, too. Still, it's dangerous no matter what happens. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Of course!" Arika insisted.

"And me, as well," Shiho put in suddenly. "I won't let Arika- _chan_ go into this danger alone…I want to help Yue- _chan_ …and I want to get them for what they've done to Nina- _chan_. I'm not sitting by in this situation." She glanced over at Irina and Erstin. "You two, though…you should stay here. Even Pearl-equipped HiME won't be of much use here. If it comes to combat, I probably won't be of much use either, to be honest…but my Psychometry can be of help to them. But we can't leave Nina- _chan_ alone…."

"Shiho- _chan_ is right," the king agreed. "I'd feel better if you two stayed here with us. And as for you, Arinko- _chan_ …." As Arika turned to him in surprise at this sudden use of her hated nickname, the man rose and walked over to her. "Shiho- _chan_ is also right about mere Pearls of being little use, even if it's you. But Mashiro- _san_ told me what we could do if we needed to use that other power of yours…if you needed the Blue Sky Sapphire…."

The blue gem suddenly began to glow underneath Arika's shirt, and Sargon reached out to it. Then the two blue gems appeared in the air and settled into his hand. "Our contract remains, Arika- _chan_. If you go, will you go as my representative…my HiME…and do this for Nina and myself?"

Arika's surprise became fierce determination. "Of course!" She took the proffered GEM and turned to Yue. "We're coming, Yue- _chan_! We'll do this…together!"

8-8-8

The White Wings gathered in the courtyard of the Governor-General's palace, all prepared to begin their journey. In addition, they were surrounded by their allies—those determined to accompany them inside. It began with their fellow 'Terrans', those who had been sent to retrieve them—Tear, Rin, Mei, Kajirô, Isumi, Yoshimori and Tokine. Arika and Shiho were there representing the HiME. Minsc and Aerie accompanied Hikaru. Inuyasha and Shippô were on hand with Kagome. Gourry and Zelgadis both stood by Lina. Natsu, Erza, Grey, Lucy and Happy all waited behind Nodoka. Delryn was also present, mostly being in the background, and even Jade and Overcast were there, with Luana flanking him, sitting calmly on a bench with her wrists handcuffed in front of her.

"Here we are…it's time," Jade intoned. "This is the force that's planning to invade the Obsidian Star…are we ready?"

"You say that, but we're planning on returning to Mahora Academy as soon as we've recovered Kain- _sensei_ and Mai," Kiami noted. "Somehow, I doubt the rest of you are seriously planning that part with us…."

"Unless the Obsidian Star do something truly significant to the Gate, it shouldn't be a problem," noted Overcast. "The colonel and I, especially, can help activate it for you when it's time, and the rest of us who wish to remain in this world will just stand clear. But you can't expect us to let you go off without help."

"That's right!" Minsc bellowed in his usual bold manner. "Aerie and Minsc and Boo are Hikaru's comrades! We cannot let him enter danger on his own! We must do our part to bring the Backhand of Justice to these Obsidian Starlings! And in this we will earn the fame and heroic glory we so richly deserve!"

Aerie actually gigged softly. "W-well…I-I can't add anything to what Minsc says, here…."

"Personally, I have an obligation to go," Jade added. "I'm perhaps the only one who can put a halt to the Replication procedures. And…they are that far because of me…it's my responsibility to atone for my sins…."

"I'm still Lina's bodyguard," Gourry put in. "Wherever she goes, I'm going to protect her."

"This is the opportunity I've been waiting for," Zelgadis explained. "I've been accompanying for you some time with the hope of extorting something of value to me from the Obsidian Star…but the chance never came. Now that we're invading their lair…if I can't find what I want there, I don't think I ever will."

Lina chuckled. "Of course, since this might be the last Gate between the worlds for some time, I…might not be going through myself, although I'm going to do my darnedest to make sure _you_ guys make it through okay. But even if I'm from Earth, Arcanus Myrror has always been more my home…."

"I already told Yue- _chan_!" Arika insisted. "We have to do our part, too! For Nina- _chan_!"

"And for ourselves, a spot of revenge," Shiho added. "It's time for the Obsidian Star to get what's coming to them…."

"Amen to that," growled Inuyasha. "Everything else aside, I have my own reasons for going after the Obsidian Star…."

"I really wish you wouldn't, Inuyasha- _sama_ ," moaned Myôga. "It's too dangerous…."

"Oh, give a rest, Myôga- _jii-san_ ," Shippô scolded him. "We all know that you wouldn't even be here if the Obsidian Star hadn't trapped us all here. Be that as it may…I-I know that I'm not much help, but I have to do my part, too! I'm sticking with you!"

"Aye!" Happy declared. "I know that feeling, but Fairy Tail won't give up!"

Hinagiku glanced over at the four human Fairy Tail members. "What about you four? What about the rest of your guild? Shouldn't you be with them?"

"The Master and the rest are going to assist in the assault on the palace," Erza explained. "But remember, Nodoka- _chan_ is a member of our guild now. We've been her primary protectors and support since her arrival, and she's become our good friend—we promised to get her back to her home, and we're not giving up before the job is finished."

"It's two birds, one stone kinda thing!" Natsu enthused. "We got roughed up yesterday…I'm all fired up for some revenge!"

"We're not running away just because of the danger," Grey agreed. "We've faced things like this before."

Lucy sighed. "Of course, the invasion might end up being less dangerous than the assault…I'm not sure I want to be involved in either operation, but, here we are…."

Chisame glanced around at the assembled group. Some faces, like Miki, obviously showed reluctance and trepidation about their upcoming operation, but there was a resignation there as well—they all knew that there was no other choice for any of them, now, and most of the rest of the girls' faces were determined and even hopeful. "We're in pretty deep," she muttered. "But there's nowhere else to go, now, nothing else we can do…this is to save our friends, _and_ return to our own world. Jinnai, is the _El-Hazard_ ready?"

"It's fully recovered," Nanami agreed, holding up her card. "Once it was ready, I was up early, working on it—while it heals or repairs itself or whatever, it turns out any modifications made to it will remain. It was a rush job, but I found a guy here who was able to fix it up for me so it should have a better chance of surviving heavy firepower."

"You found a guy?" Erika asked. "Really? In this situation?"

Nanami chuckled. "Well…you remember that guy with the airship from the history movie? Cid? It turns out he's retired here to Orimus. I tracked him down last month and connected with him. He's been working on the _El-Hazard_ for me over that time, and I went to him to give it some last-minute upgrades. We're still not a warship or anything—still no time for that—but if the assault squad does their job, we should be able to make it to the palace in one piece."

"Well, that's something we have going for us, at least," Miki muttered. "Might be the only thing…."

"Well, in any case, it seems our objectives are threefold," Hinagiku announced, businesslike. "We have to rescue Mai and Kain- _sensei_. We have to destroy this 'Replication Engine' in order to stop the Obsidian Star. And then we have to commandeer the Gate in order to return to Earth. Are we ready to go?"

"Almost," Momo replied. She was holding a folded-up piece of white fabric in her hands—Kain's cloak. She approached Nodoka, who looked at her in surprise. "Kain- _sensei_ will need this back. I think…he'd appreciate you keeping it for him."

"More importantly, it might help protect her, right?" noted Chisame as Momo helped Nodoka fasten the garment. "Considering how often the Obsidian Star has targeted her…well…that kind of stuff is part of the plan, but still…."

"We should get going," Tear said softly. "The first operation is about to begin. The best way we can help them is by doing our part."

Nanami summoned the _El-Hazard_ , and the party, with mixed feelings of excitement, expectation, trepidation, and more, boarded the ship.

F I N

 _Author's Note: Beginning the Assault_

 _There's another calm in the storm here…the kids have to recover, but there's little time to rest. The final dungeon is upon us…our intrepid girls have to go after it, without (for now, at least) their two foremost leaders._

 _As usual…I guess I can mention the original. There was actually a lot involved between the sudden attack and the actual invasion in Negima. Negi wasn't captured, but rather his Magia Erebia was going out of control and he had to fight it. In addition, he had to deal with the fake Asuna, Luna/Shiori, and he had to make a few more contracts because for whatever reason Akamatsu-_ sensei _decided to spread the drama of the kisses out to multiple periods and did not have the group businesslike make them when it was most convenient._

 _Luana's capture is partially going with the Luna/Shiori dynamic. Of course, Luna/Shiori was one of the most important of Fate's girls, his first (my actual equivalent, as will be shown in later flashbacks, is Ellis) but she also fell in love with Negi over the course of her impersonation. I had no real cause or need or justification for an exact following of that, so I junked it and just had her present. It won't be exactly the same…but having a present glimpse into the mind of the adversaries has some uses._

 _With all of my changes, this might be the most difficult working…the 'illusionary magical world' situation left most of our heroines with lost friends, as Cosmo Entelecheia used their new godlike powers to erase many people, including Tôsaka and the 'chief', Nodoka's adventuring buddies, and Yue's class rep friend. The wounding of Nina is partially that, and partially to drive Arika, to create an impetus for her similar in some ways to how Nina (accidentally) killed Erstin in the original My-Otome. I had something similar to the Keys the Cosmo guys had (the staff Dynamis wielded), but I didn't want all of these people erased—Tôkasa and the rest, luckily or unluckily, didn't feature in the invasion at all, even—so how to handle Nina's wounding was tough. I've finally settled on a way to handle her, as all these loose ends have to be tied up, but…well, it's been a weird case of mental acrobatics. We'll see how it goes._

 _Anyhow, the invasion starts…let's go…._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Two: The Gatekeeper

Mahora Academy was truly a town unto itself. It was part of its nature, origin, secrets…both the vampire who had originally constructed it and the mages who had taken it over had many uses for the city aspects of the school.

Of course, some of its more unique, city-like additions were more of note to the students than others. One of its more obscure features was a cemetery, largely ignored by the students, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the massive grounds.

Unlike most Japanese cemeteries, the memorial gravestones were larger and more elaborate than the usual simple markers that were common in Japan, and the field was quite larger than most would imagine it would be. However, like most Japanese cemeteries, it was truly nothing more than a memorial—particularly in this case, as most of those who were remembered by these elaborate stones had never had their bodies recovered.

A man placed flowers on a dual grave. Although well-dressed, he was seemingly rather non-descript, with light green eyes and short, well-groomed brown hair that was not yet greying despite his advancing middle age. He stared down at the graves and read the names for what was now the 11th time: Shirasagi Tomu and Mika. Many thoughts rolled through the man's head as he stared at those names; sadness, regret, wistfulness and a small bit of hope. And now, concern and worry….

Keishirô Tsukai, head of the Tsukai family, considered his departed friends now, and, even more so, considered the fates of both their child and his own….

He paused his ruminations and turned as another figure softly approached. "Well…Yukiji. You actually made it."

Yukiji laughed and scratched at the back of her head. "Yeah, well…right now, even I don't fill like drinking…."

"How ironic." The man turned back to the graves. "I rather do. I've already lost one child…now, the other is beyond my reach, in mortal danger. You must be feeling some of the same."

"I'd never admit it, but yeah." Yukiji was carrying a bag and, in a set of actions that would have surprised anyone who knew her well, began to proceed through the usual advanced offerings and rituals for honoring the departed that the Japanese employed: offering of _sake_ , incense, and more. "Speaking of your son…why aren't you at his stone?"

"I visit him every year on his birthday. The others, when I can, although that's not often, since they are usually with their family's places."

"Yes…well, if you ever want to come visit to honor Konoka, too, feel free, Keishirô- _kun_."

They turned to the new arrival. "Eishun- _san_ …I'd heard you were in town," the Tsukai head greeted the former Red Wing. "Is it…for this same reason…?"

"That's right…it's serious business, to be sure." The man sighed and laughed as he adjusted his glasses. "It's a cruel irony, no, rather more a tragedy for the three of us. We have already lost parents, son, or wife; now, sister, son, and daughter are all in further danger…."

"I've sometimes wondered if maybe I _should_ have talked with Hina a bit more about it," Yukiji muttered. "I mean, not that I really do much on that side of things anyway, but now, considering where she is…."

"It's fate, isn't it?" Eishun said. "I kept my own daughter ignorant for the same reasons, but I guess if I really wanted to keep it that way, I shouldn't have had her sent to Mahora to begin with."

"None of us could have known what would happen," Keishirô noted. "Had I known things would get this serious, I would have pushed Kajirô a little harder, prepared him for this. Now…all we can do is hope…and trust in _his_ son…."

Suddenly another Mahora Academy teacher, Kataragi, he of the dark suit, sunglasses, and goatee, alighted down a short distance from them. "Yukiji," he addressed the woman as he rose from his arriving crouch. "It would really help us out if you could keep a cell phone…." He finally seemed to notice the two other men for the first time. "Ah…Higurashi- _sama_ , Tsukai- _sama_ …how convenient that both of you are here. There's an emergency…all of the Mahora teachers are to report to the principal for instructions immediately. If you two could accompany us to see him as well…it's a truly serious matter."

"What's the matter, Kataragi- _kun_?" demanded Eishun. "Word from the other side? We've been hoping for something…."

"No, much worse than that. I'll leave it to the principal to explain…."

"Very well then," Keishirô put in suddenly. "Let's not waste any more time. If you'll assist me, Kataragi- _kun_ …."

He let his magic flow out, and a magical circle of teleportation encased the four of them. Kataragi began to chant with him, and after a few moments and a few bright lights their location changed, leaving them all in the principal's office. They all turned to the old man, except Yukiji, who staggered and tried to steady herself. "Ah, I always hate that…" she muttered. "It's worse than feeling totally hung-over…."

The principal glanced at his new arrivals in surprise. "Well! What a stroke of luck that we got all of you! This is a serious matter, very serious…."

He pointed out the window as he spoke, and the new arrivals all followed his finger. They gasped at what they saw. "The World Tree…it's glowing!" muttered Keishirô. "This is far from normal…it shouldn't light up again for over twenty years…."

"U-um…won't it be visible to ordinary people at this rate?" Yukiji demanded. "That's…not good…it's not my fault! You can't blame me for it…!"

"At this rate, it will be visible to everyone once the sun goes down," Eishun mused. "What could be the cause…?"

"I could only think something is happening on the other side," Kensuke noted.

"The other side…Arcanus Myrror!?" gasped Keishirô. "You mean, in Old Orimus…the Gate!"

"Yes, connected to the Gate in the labyrinth underneath Library Island," Eishun agreed. "But wasn't it sealed away twenty years ago?"

"Indeed it was, but it was not physically destroyed," explained his father. "That may well be what the culprits are after…."

A short time later, the principal had the teachers and magical students of the academy gathered for a situation report. Keishirô had gone to form a similar meeting with the remaining heads of the Governing Council.

"We can only imagine that this is the work of the remnant of the Obsidian Star," explained Kensuke. "Only something of _that_ caliber could cause the tree to react in this way. As you're aware, all eleven gates on the other side were destroyed. Because of that, we've lost all contact with Arcanus Myrror for two weeks now; that being the case, our theories are that this is part of an enhancement to their previous plot."

"But…weren't they all defeated twenty years ago?" Seruhiko demanded fearfully. "For them to have returned…."

"Indeed, I thought that Takahata- _kun_ and his allies had taken care of even the remnants over the past fifteen years…."

"We haven't spoken about it because we had no concrete proof," the principal continued. "But there have been small evidences over the past year that they were on the way to returning. But we never thought that they could pull off something of this caliber. Indeed, we've been careless, and have even underestimated their intentions. We originally thought that their aim was the domination of the magical world, Arcanus Myrror, and they sought to separate it from Earth so that they could exert dominion over it. However, it's the opposite; new information has come to light suggesting that his action was a prelude to a much more serious plot: combining the two worlds into one!

"Needless to say, this is a disaster that must be avoided at all costs! It's usually been the Mahora Council's objective to avoid getting involved in the affairs of the magical world, but now, we must be prepared to do whatever we can to prevent this terrible event!" He began then to issue the individual orders, preparing to deal with the crisis as they could in their cut-off state….

And then both Higurashis went down to the secret chamber under the library, where Alyssa and Jynx were both relaxing.

"A favor?" Alyssa said with a coy smile. "You must be truly desperate in order to come to _me_ for a favor…."

"I think desperate describes the situation quite well," the principal replied. "It is quite grave. From the looks of things, the Crystal Princess, Mai Alusia Hairen Takiva, has fallen into the hands of the Obsidian Star."

Even Alyssa fell quiet, her mocking smile fleeing, as she digested this news.

8-8-8

Ellis stood there, cleaning her dishes. Her mind, of course, was on other things; she was not sure if it was a good thing or not that she had the opportunity….

"Are you worried about Luana, Ellis?"

Ellis sighed, not even jumping at the sudden intrusion. "Yes, Eminus- _sama_ ," she replied. "I know…we're close to victory, but still…over the past 9 years, we've grown up together, and…."

Eminus walked calmly up to her. "There's not too much need to worry. You know our foes are soft-hearted. They are probably treating her quite well…to be honest, far better than we are treating our own captives. We should…."

Suddenly an alarm began to blare. Alarmed, Ellis turned and began to hurry towards the stairs, and Eminus, while seemingly unconcerned and unhurried, followed her at nearly the same speed.

They emerged in the observation room, where the prince stood, flanked by various of his minions, watching a viewscreen. A small fleet of airships were sailing towards the city…and some of the attackers came flying out into the air alongside them. Hordes of the Star's monsters came flying out to greet them as the first defense, but they were quickly swept away by these airborne individuals and the white- and black-robed figures that appeared afterwards. The Prince chuckled. "Well…a little later than I expected, but with all their force…. HiME, Soul Reapers, Knights…they're actually pretty fearsome."

"How dare they!?" Fyuria insisted. "Let's go out there and teach them a lesson…!"

"Ah, you shouldn't get like that, Fyuria- _chan_ ," Nagi suddenly interrupted. "Just because you're upset over losing Luana- _chan_...but going out there right now would be foolish. Besides…as impressive as this force is, it's nothing more than a diversion…."

"Yes, but a dangerous diversion," the Prince replied. "If we don't give a proper response, they'll overwhelm our defenses and break in here. Nagi, if you would be so good as to greet them properly…."

"I've already started," Nagi assured him with a chuckle. "I'll go take command now." And he vanished.

"Nagi- _kun_ says 'diversion'," Winfield commented. "But if all their forces are committed to the frontal assault, what can the diversion possibly be for…?"

There was a chuckle behind him. "Why, the little teacher's collection of devoted beauties," Vira-Lorr informed him. "The one problem with sacrificing Luana- _chan_ to secure the boy is that they have a mind-reader among them…everything she knows about the palace, they now know…."

"Which means they'll also know the best place to invade the palace, the location of all our defenses, the rest," agreed the Prince. "Well, that means we know where they will arrive as well. This could be interesting. Eminus and his forces will remain inside in case some of them slip by, but there should be little chance of that. Dynamis." The cloaked figure stirred as he was addressed. "Go and collect our newest toy from Corai, and take him down to that entrance. We have to give those girls a proper greeting, after all…."

Dynamis nodded and turned away. Ellis felt a sudden stirring, a pang of premonition that disquieted her. She had never dealt much with the imposing shadow master, but now felt a sudden concern for him. "Dynamis- _sama_ …you'll be all right, won't you?" she suddenly offered. As the man looked back at her curiously, she continued, "No, of course you will; you are a survivor of that war twenty years ago, after all…."

Dynamis chuckled. "Ho…so, you have faith in me, simply because I am a survivor?" The man reached up, and took off his mask. He had glowing golden eyes rather similar to those of the Obsidian Prince, but otherwise, his features were quite human…and actually rather handsome, with his youthful features, dark skin and shaggy black hair, at least according to the watching ladies.

"Well, now…that's the first time I've ever seen him without his mask on," Lavinia murmured.

"H-he's actually…" Fyuria began.

"…Rather handsome?" finished Yayoi.

"I really thought he'd be more monstrous-looking, or at least older," noted Noah.

Dynamis held his mask in one hand, and then, to the further shock of the gaping onlookers, he used his other hand to unbuckle his robes. Soon his naked chest was exposed…naked, save for the metal frame adorning it, a skeletal chassis marked with shining lights. "In the last war, I was critically wounded by Aiden Rylack, by his mage-killing bullet. I should have died…I don't even know how I survived. Sheer will, I suppose. Even so, I lost all my magic…even for me, a true creature of the Obsidian Star, I had no power, no, not even any ability to move. I am only able to function because of this device, created by Horius Corai." He re-fastened his heavy robe and replaced his mask. "To ask if I'll be all right…will any of us be all right? We're a pretty sorry group, really. You may think we have the advantage now, but if you had only seen our previous glory…the palace was filled with knights and lords, powers you can scarcely imagine. Now, what do we have left? The mere remnant of the work of our greatest scientist, one broken knight, and a bunch of useless little girls…we've had to rely on creatures from the world of hollows and even the replication technology of some mad humans. Even our defeated Prince has returned to us a mere shadow of his power, bound to a lowly human. As for me…I am merely the broken shell of an old knight, who has lost his master, a puppet who has outlived his usefulness. It's past the point of me being 'all right'. The last stage of our plan is about to begin, and the last impediment approaches. I will deal with it as I can." He replaced his robe and mask, and walked out.

They watched him go. The prince smiled slightly to himself. "Well…you girls should get ready. If Dynamis fails, you will be the next line of defense. It won't likely get that far…but we must prepare for every contingency…."

8-8-8

The _El-Hazard_ flashed through the sky. Not high; rather than soaring off into the air after the attacking fleet, it left the main airport and immediately descended, threading through the collection of islands and heading for Eldrant from below. It was not deserted…flying beasts of varying sizes from 'small' to 'gargantuan' floated in the air around…quite obviously on patrol.

"Naturally, they're aware of our intentions," chuckled Kamo. "But they haven't yet had a chance to learn anything about the _El-Hazard_. It was already a fine stealth ship to begin with, and with old Cid working on it…these beasts have no chance of finding us. It's not the same as last night, when we were only on the run and didn't have a chance to go stealth mode…."

They slipped by the monsters and, following the precise instructions given by Luana, swept around to the rear of the massive flying continent. It was not a short, simple flight—the _El-Hazard_ had to traverse hundreds of kilometers of airspace to reach its destination—but the passengers were unusually quiet and composed during the voyage. They only began to stir when the ship finally came within the view of the Obsidian Palace….

"And it's there," Luana murmured, standing on the bridge with Nanami, Nodoka, Kamo, Jade, Overcast, Tear, and Rin. "The secret, executive hangar to the lower reaches of the Obsidian Palace. Using my credentials, you'll be able to gain access…but even within, our security systems are top-notch. Using my code will only make you more suspicious; your stealth system is quite impressive, but you won't be able to hide anymore once you're in. How will you handle that?"

"We've prepared for contingencies," Jade replied casually. "Are you hoping we get cold feet, or lose to those defenses?"

"Well, honestly, I'd rather you succeed," Luana almost giggled. "All else aside, I'd rather not die a horrible flaming death in there…."

The ship approached the hangar doors…which, with the broadcast of the signal, began to open vertically like a yawning maw to give it entrance. It entered a long, straight tunnel. Alarms began to blare around them, and, following this, turrets emerged from the floors and ceilings, and began to sight in on the ship.

"Whoa!" Nanami cried as the guns opened fire. "Chisame- _chan_ , can we get some help here!?"

"Just a second!" Chisame shot back over the speaker. "Give me a chance here!"

Suddenly the turrets all began to whir, and then powered down and retreated back into their alcoves. Nanami sighed in relief. "Okay, minimal damage…we're in! Now…."

"We're five kilometers from the hangar, but an emergency partition ahead is closing!" Overcast announced suddenly.

"Chiucchi!" Nanami hissed into her mic again.

"It's a failsafe for hacking that only resets on a system reboot!" Chisame shot back. "I can't do anything with this one, not in time! We'll just have to bust through!"

"Bust through," Nanami groaned. "Here goes! All passengers, brace for impact!"

The ship hurtled towards the closing mouth….and passed through, but the receding portal clipped it as it threaded the hole, and the ship began to swirl out of control. It hit the wall and began to slide and skip down the remainder of the tunnel, until it burst into a larger chamber and smashed into the ground. It slid halfway across the chamber before it finally came to a stop, smoking and flickering.

After several long, silent moments, an emergency hatch opened at the side of the vehicle (its usual entrance, at the bottom of the ship, was blocked by its crash position) and Hinagiku stumbled out first. "F-flying ships and floating cities and tall towers," she muttered. "W-why is everyone so _obsessed with them_!?"

Slowly, the rest of the group came out to join her, most wincing from physical wounds (all minor) and some moaning from emotional ones (relatively more serious). Yue was the first to recover her rationality as she gazed around at the massive chamber. "An interesting hangar," she noted. "Besides ours, there is a suspicious lack of other ships here…."

"They're packed away," Luana explained with a wry smile. "The Obsidian Prince's intent was largely to use them for camouflage; there are airships modeled after all the nations' most common and prestigious private ships, so that he could travel about incognito. But when he doesn't need them, they're simply kept out of the way, in the pocket hangars attached to this service station."

"In any case, we're inside," Jade insisted, quite businesslike. "And we're all possessed of all our parts. As Miss Luana noted, our entrance has not gone unnoticed; we should get moving quickly, before they have time to prepare for us…."

A voice suddenly rumbled from the back of the chamber. "Well said, Colonel Curtis. However, it is a little late…a welcoming party has already been arranged for you."

Most of the group turned on the voice, producing weapons or artifacts, as Dynamis faded into view. "You are courageous little children, if nothing else. It is a pity that you value your lives so little, however…."

"Save the brave talk," Erza insisted, brandishing a pair of swords. "Even if you are one of the Obsidian Star's finest champions, do you really believe that you can stand against all of us?"

Dynamis chuckled. "A fair enough question. There _are_ a great deal of you pesky little flies here. But I won't be the real test of that question. I'm merely an observer here. A different gatekeeper has been prepared for you."

He stretched out the hem of his cloak, and a shimmering blackness quite different from any earthly shadow flowed out, and then it departed…leaving behind a figure, which stood and surveyed the party. They stared in shock…it was a figure they knew quite well, and even now, without a shirt, with disheveled hair, even with the strange colors (black and red) of his eyes and the sinister aura emanating visibly from his body, they recognized him in an instant….

"K…K…K-Kain- _sensei_ …" murmured Nodoka. "W-what…what have they done to you…?"

" _Mazoku_ ," Kamo cursed from his position on her shoulder. "Of all things…he's radiating Infernal energy!"

"I'll leave you all to get reacquainted," Dynamis rumbled, and vanished.

Kain gave off a bestial roar, causing his power to dramatically rise. He crouched down, not quite on all fours, and prepared to leap.

Jade stepped back and snapped out, "Everyone, get back!" Then he began to chant: "O violent storm cloud…!"

Kain was suddenly in front of the man. Jade was forced to cancel his spell, but he conjured his spear in time and blocked the strike, then the next three that followed. Each strike forced the colonel back, but just when it seemed Jade was about to be overwhelmed, Overcast suddenly slipped behind the boy and began to attack him. Kain turned to block his strikes while still maintaining his pressure on Jade.

"Y-you can't! Stop it!" Izumi wailed.

"You're kidding, right!?" Overcast shot back. "This isn't your teacher right now! He's someone who's out to kill us!"

Jade attempted to withdraw so he could chant a spell, but then Kain suddenly broke Overcast's guard, grabbed him by the throat, and hurled him into his superior. As the two soldiers went down in a heap, Kain extended a hand, and a blast of energy engulfed them, throwing them away.

Kain had barely finished this assault when a new foe assailed him, dropping down behind him and striking out quickly. Kain turned on Akari, and the pair began to exchange blows. "Sorry about this, Kain- _sensei_ …this may hurt a bit, but it's for your own good."

Kiami came flashing in next, and then Hikaru immediately afterward. Kain managed to repulse those three right before Inuyasha came in swinging. And they kept coming; Natsu, Grey and Erza followed suit, blades and spells flying, and Kenjirô and Delryn joined in immediately after, and Gourry, Zelgadis and Archer following on their heels. Each time the rampaging _sensei_ knocked an opponent out of the combat, a new combatant came to fill in the opening. All the while, Lina, Tear, Rin, and others gave supporting fire from a distance. Yet all those attacks and more seemed to do little to faze the bestial boy. Finally, with one bestial roar, Kain let his power explode, and the force was scattered across the hangar.

"This is nuts," Chisame muttered from a safe hiding spot behind some of the rubble that their entrance had created. "We found the main person we came to rescue immediately, and the one keeping us from rescuing him…is him. Can _anything_ stop him?"

"It could be worse," Kamo muttered. "As weird as it may sound, he's going easy on us; I'm not sure exactly how much of him is in there, or what, but with his overwhelming power, he should be wiping us out, not knocking us down repeatedly. But we can't keep this up…."

"We've got to come up with something! Do you have anything, Miyazaki?"

"N-no…Kain- _sensei_ 's thoughts…I can't read them at all…he's…like an animal, nothing but instinct…."

"Damn…we've got to get through to him, somehow…."

After Kain dispatched both Yue and Arika, then Hinagiku and Momo, all without any seeming effort, Kenjirô came in at him again. In some ways, the new attack was quite significant…Kenjirô's first foray had been, like the efforts of most of his students, only token, half-hearted, desperate to subdue Kain without injuring him. Even after he continued to demonstrate his dominance, most of them could not bear to increase the intensity of their attacks. Those who did seem to possess the resolve—Jade, Archer, Zelgadis, a few others—Kain instinctively seemed to put down with the most savage force. There was something wildly chaotic about him, as if there was enough of his mind in that unbridled form to spare his friends from any great injuries and damage, and yet in the few moments the party attempted to withdraw and cease combat, he turned on the nearest target with viciousness and force….

And finally Kenjirô went after him with full force, both his swords, and all his power, both human and demonic. Kenjirô pressed in fiercely, slashing and dodging, suffering wounds, cuts and burns from near-misses, but he fought without hesitation, either for the wounds given or the wounds received. In a way he was similar to how he had been in the first stages of his tournament battle with his father, but at the same time while wielding his own powers…and in some ways he was even more. Neither giving nor receiving wounds seemed to faze him in the slightest as he head-butted Kain, slashed him across the chest with both blades, took a savage blow to his shoulder and then knocked Kain to the ground. "You're in there, Kain," Kenjirô growled as they found themselves in a lock, the demon's swords pressing against the block of Kain's forearms. "We tried to play nice, but we obviously can't keep that up. If we have to break you before we can save you, we will, no question…."

Growling, Kain suddenly pushed Kenjirô off and stabbed him right through the chest with a conjured blade of mana. Kenjirô, hardly seeming to notice this terrible injury, raised his blades to deliver a counter of at least equal strength, but Kain suddenly pulled back and sent his former gladiator partner flying with a swift kick.

Lina, coughing from the pain of wounds she herself had suffered, struggled to rise as Isumi, Yoshimori and Tokine found their spells defeated swiftly by Kain's base powers. "Kenjirô's right," she muttered. "We've really got to take the kiddy gloves off…if we want to save Kain, we'll probably have to beat him down with everything we've got…."

Delryn, having ended up next to her, also pulled himself to his feet. "You know, that's sounding like a better idea every second. You're probably some of our best artillery; you got a spell that might be able to do something?"

"Yeah…something that even _he_ shouldn't be able to brush off. Can you give me an opening?"

"Here I go!" Delryn charged in with his released sword.

Kain turned to meet the new threat, but his counterattack hit empty air as Delryn, employing his phenomenal speed, pulled back before it struck and moved to flank him. Moving in this defensive feinting manner, Delryn was able to avoid any hits as he harassed and threatened the mad teacher, but unable to land any sure hits of his own.

"O admonishing melody, arise in the name of the Necromancer…Mystic Cage!"

The spell encapsulated Kain, and Delryn dodged away as the shimmering mana engulfed him. Then the spell faded, compressing into Kain's open hand, and the demonized boy turned to the shocked Jade. Kain opened his hand, and the spell exploded on its original caster.

Cursing, Delryn charged in again….

"O Rulers of the Four Worlds, grant unto me all the power you possess….

"Lord of the Dreams that Terrify, Sword of Cold and Darkness, free yourself from the heavens' bonds, become one with my power, one with my body, and let us walk the path of destruction together! Power that can smash even the souls of the gods…Ragna Blade!"

Kain slipped right past Delryn's guard, grabbed his sword, hit him three successive times, then kicked him away. And then Lina came dashing in, wielding that massive Sword of Cold and Darkness. She swung, and Kain turned to block it, crossing both arms in front of his face. The warring powers, both of them radiating Infernal energy, strained and then exploded. Lina staggered backwards, then dropped to her knees, coughing up blood, while a wound opened across Kain's chest, from shoulder to hip.

Kain, roaring in rage, darted forward and kicked Lina, sending her flying roughly into a wall of rubble. Gourry, crying in outrage, darted in to defend her, but Kain danced aside and sent him flying almost casually before rounding on the sorceress again. He stalked towards her, slowly, ponderously, one hand raised, glowing mana shaping into a blade in his grip. He moved in to deliver a finishing strike.

"No, Kain- _sensei_ , don't!" And then Nodoka dashed in front of Lina, her arms spread out, trying to shield her as the man came charging in….

8-8-8

 _('I…have always been afraid._

 _('Especially of men. Any boys near my age or older just intimidated me, and I couldn't stand to touch or be near them, even perfectly kind and friendly men like Takahata-_ sensei _. All men did…until Kain-_ sensei _._

 _('But it wasn't only men. I was afraid of the world, and all other people, and I hid, behind my bangs, behind my books…I did what I could to avoid attention, to avoid mixing with them. I didn't want to be hurt._

 _('Of course, no one can live alone, and I was lucky enough to get a couple friends. Ami and I met in a library in Primary School, and we were always there together, me just to hide and read, her to study for her classes, and after many months of this, we eventually got around to talking to each other and…became friends. And then, in middle school, we met Yue, and I immediately saw someone like me in her, and, most unusually for me, I worked hard to befriend her, even after she repeatedly brushed me off._

 _('And by the middle of our second year, we were three friends, very close, and otherwise content to avoid interference from the rest of the world. And I was still afraid…I had my friends to support me, but their support, their ability to protect me from the rest of the world, frightening and hostile, kept me isolated._

 _('Until…Kain-_ sensei _. He showed up, and changed my world forever. His touch didn't frighten me, after a terrible fall and finding myself safe in his arms…I didn't feel the same fear I usually did. Looking back on it now, I realize that Kain-_ sensei _, by the time I got my wits back, wasn't even looking at me—Mai-_ san _had seen him use his magic to save me, and that was his concern. But at the time, it didn't register. Kain-_ sensei _had saved me, this Kain-_ sensei _who was somehow different to me than any other man, and he began to consume my thoughts from then on. I had…many reasons for thinking of_ Sensei _, for falling for him…for saving me, for being different…but, more than anything else, I think what I recognized most of all was that he was someone just like me…someone who was afraid of the world._

 _('Most everyone else probably would never think of that, would never recognize that in him—he hid it very well, and never showed it. But…I watched him, all the time I could. The briefest looks of panic, his moments of concern, his transitions from deep thought to paying attention to those around him…he was as afraid of the world as I was. Maybe even more so…but he'd had to deal with that fear. He'd never learned to overcome it, but he had learned to endure it. He had learned to endure everything he had to in order to pursue his dream._

 _('And that, more than anything, is what made me love him. He was…an example to me, of strength, of courage. It's easy to be brave when you're not afraid…it sounds silly, but it's true. Not being afraid isn't the same thing as having courage. Having courage to endure your fears…that is the hard part. Kain-_ sensei _was a beacon to me, showing me the way, and so I worked hard to become like him._

 _('It's been so hard. While I've always done well in school, I don't seem to have a knack for magic like Yue and Kagome-_ san _, nor am I a natural fighter like Mai-_ san _and Hinagiku-_ san _. Even though I ended up with Fairy Tail, I'm still not a real fighter, or a real mage, and even though I try hard, there are still moments where I find myself almost useless. Like this moment, when everyone else was trying so hard to stop Kain-_ sensei _, and I just hid, too afraid to do anything…._

 _('But Kain-_ sensei _has taught me. Like him, I have to keep trying, no matter what happens, no matter the pain, no matter how hard it gets. I have to work hard, too…no matter what, I have to do my part to stop Kain-_ sensei _…for his sake….')_

8-8-8

Kain froze, his conjured blade mere centimeters from Nodoka's face. She stood there, staring up at him, unblinking, sweating visibly, but her eyes fierce and determined. Lina, still restricted to her knees, looked up at her in surprise and shock. The entire room seemed to be holding its collective breath. The sound that broke it was Kain's low, guttural breath: "No…do…ka…."

Kain suddenly staggered backward, his blade vanishing. He started weaving and thrashing about, hyperventilating, clutching at his head. Finally, with a bestial moan, he collapsed to the ground, all remnants of his _mazoku_ power fled.

The world continued to hold its breath for several long moments, and then Nodoka broke the spell, dashing to Kain's side, and Kazumi, Izumi and Kaoru quickly followed suit. Soon the young teacher was surrounded, as the rest of the group, with varying degrees of fear, pain and injury, and wariness, rose and approached the still form. "Kain- _sensei_ …" Nodoka murmured. "Is he…all right?"

Kamo hopped over to him. " _Mazoku_ …all right is a matter of perspective. He already stopped being human, to a large degree, after Aiden infused him with his pure mana bullet. Now…they've done something awful to him. It seems…they've given him an Infernal heart. Now he's part _mazoku_ , too, and that's warring with him. I have no idea if or when he'll recover from this, and what he'll even be like when he 'recovers'…."

"Well, at least he's not trying to kill us, now," Lina muttered.

"Hmm," Jade muttered. "He never was. The boy certainly is strong…."

"I'll say," Zelgadis muttered. "He was beating us around like rag dolls…."

"No, that's not what I mean. He certainly had the power to crush any of us, at any time. But he never did. He beat us down repeatedly, but never with enough force to truly hurt us. Even Kenjirô- _kun_ , who was impaled, was injured in a non-fatal way, and he, the only person so injured, is a _hanyô_ , quite capable of taking such a blow." He glanced over at the subject of his lecture, who was standing at hand, Yukari glued to his arm, clutching at his injured stomach but otherwise standing strongly, with no weakness or discomfort. "Miss Inverse managed to injure him worse than he hurt all of us combined, and that injury alone prompted him to attempt a lethal attack…which Miss Miyazaki put a stop to."

And it was, the group grudgingly admitted, the truth—although all of them who attempted to fight Kain had been repulsed, beaten, and subdued, none of them had injuries that would keep them from continuing to fight, let alone threaten their lives….

There was a dark chuckle, and the group tensed as Dynamis reappeared. "Yes, it is true…even subverted by the dark power of the _mazoku_ now, he was unable to take the final step. We hoped that this would be the last push needed…after killing his own friends and loved ones with his own hands, his will would finally be broken, and he would be fully ours. But to think that the plan was defeated by some powerless girls…how ironic." He flexed his hands. "Well…I suppose it is now time for me to rectify this situation…."

F I N

 _Author's Note: The Invasion Begins_

 _And so it begins…._

 _For those who wonder, this was one of the first lines of Babylon 5, space opera epic. And it is, as you've probably gathered since I seem to use it a lot, one of my favorites, but…it always just seems so appropriate._

 _So we've entered the Final Dungeon, and a Big Boss meets us right at the entrance…and it's Kain himself, proffered up to potentially kill his friends so that he'll 'fall completely to the Dark Side'. A perhaps overused trope. But sometimes they, too, are entirely appropriate._

 _This section of the story is one of the major deviations of my version. At this point, Negi's final struggles to overcome the darkness inherent in his Magia Erebia take center stage, and they add a huge amount of drama to the proceedings…since the availability of the hero to battle the final forces of darkness is in question. I wanted to touch on this, but I didn't want to give the actual Magia Erebia to Kain. So I, well, 'made up for' the failed kidnapping of Mai earlier by having Kain taken as well, so he could be infused with the dark power. No, it's not really true to say that the entire purpose of Kain's kidnapping was just for this bit of drama—with the Kain I've created, he needs a bit of Dark Side in him to finish this, as we will see. So even the 'Dark Side' moments I'm putting in here won't really be anything like the ones that really were in Negima._

 _I had my more reasonable group finish up with things like contracts long earlier. But they, among other things, had to deal with these, and with Negi's Dark Side struggles, there was a lot of this that had to go on between the attack during the party and the invasion of the 'Gravekeeper's Palace', but with Kain out of the picture, we can't do any of those. Then, of course, there was the horrible truth of the world, how it was just an illusion, and so many of their friends and the people who helped them and became their friends got erased. The Grand Master Key—which I did partially demonstrate in Dynamis' earlier attack—was a huge piece of this puzzle, and another goal, but those characters have slipped out of view without tragedy, and while we'll get back to this key at some point, it's not nearly so essential here. Furthermore, I wanted the Soul Reaper captains to show off and have the notable Arrancar (Espada) make their mark, and so I stopped their flight and had the big battles interfere with things. Besides the disintegrating allies, there wasn't so much of that in the original and so the kids had to come home to roost._

 _In some ways, my overpowered father figures ruin the feel of the story at this point—as the magical world forces were 99% magical world-born and therefore subject to being easily erased, Negima's girls ended up being the most powerful weapons they had and the only hope of defeating the evil bad guys. But my girls all got pretty trounced, and had to be saved by the old guard. I have considered this, but I don't think it's a real detriment here—they all have their part to play, and for me, it's perhaps slightly over-the-top for ALL the girls to be the main champions. Especially since I don't have the same_ raison d'être _in my world—I mean, I'm not disparaging Negima in that way—after all, with the enemies essentially holding godhood over the magic world, only these Earth girls could defy the god. But from that withdrawn viewpoint, there's nothing really special about my girls compared to the normal people of this world, and so there's no reasonable way to explain why they would be a superior power. Especially with people like Momo and the rest of the Soul Reapers involved—putting most of Kain's group in a power level tier in Momo's range puts them all around 'lieutenant' level at best, a Rank B, if you would, while the captains, of course, and all the other superheroes like Artoria, her Knights, Takamichi and Gödel, and the rest of the 'old guard' are still A-Rank. I suppose I could pull an author's fiat, a 'Deus Ex Machina' to make Momo and the rest of my girls of a similar level—Tite Kubo-_ sensei _essentially is doing the same thing in the current arc of Bleach with Renji and Rukia (as of this writing)—but I decided against that. I like the girls (and the rest of the kids) playing at this level, with still plenty of room to grow. Whether they will grow that far or not in this work, only time will tell…._

 _Anyway, that's enough of my useless ramblings, so let's move on to continue this saga…._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Three: Shadowy Barriers

Jade adjusted his glasses again. "Well…so now you're the second guardian of the gate? Do you really think that you can take all of us on your own? We may have struggled with the boy due to the collected groups feelings for him, but there's no question we'll have the heart to deal with you…."

Dynamis gave a chuckling rumble. "Yes…and as I saw last night, many of you are quite capable. Yes, you speak the truth...even I would normally be out of my depth against a force as varied and powerful as this. It is lucky for me, then, that you are in our territory…."

He gestured with his hand, and a great key-like staff appeared in the air before it. His opponents tensed as they recognized it….

8-8-8

 _["We don't know what we'll be facing in there," Jade informed the group as they discussed strategy prior to launching. "But there are a few things we should be wary of. I've already told you about my work with Replication that the Obsidian Star has seized, and how that might affect us. But from what little I've heard about yesterday's troubles, there is at least one more wrinkle in this matter we should be aware of." His eyes scanned the group before resting ever-so-slightly on Nodoka._

 _Nodoka gulped slightly, but finally offered, "Y-yes…there was something we saw yesterday…when the mage Dynamis-_ san _attacked us, he was using a strange device…a staff shaped like a key." She revealed her diary, which had a (unusually serious) picture of a key-like object. "This is…the Obsidian Star's Master Key. It was created through the power of its new Obsidian Heart. It wields the power over this world that the Obsidian Heart and the…the Crystal Princess fashioned for them. It has absolute power over time and space, reality and illusion, life and death…but only within the confines of their influence. The power over life and death is incomplete, and…its ability to do so is partially relegated by the lifeforce of those involved as well as…other factors I don't quite understand…but for the most part, we should be safe from that. It can, however, transport any number of people any distance within the confines of the Obsidian Star's influence…it can heal injuries by unwinding reality for those who were injured, similar to the power Sakura-_ san _had…it can paralyze people by 'freezing' them in time…and a whole lot more besides. Luckily, there is no apparent restriction on who can actually use this power; I was able to steal the staff from him and briefly use it before he…he recovered it…._

 _"Dynamis-_ san _is strong, but…that staff might be the most important tool we can get. It is very dangerous…but if we can get our hands on it, we could put it to our own use…."_

 _Arika suddenly perked up. "I-I don't get all you're talking about…but if we had that, we could possibly heal Nina-_ chan _, couldn't we!?"_

 _"E-eh? I-I suppose…."_

 _"Theoretically, we could," murmured Yue. "With the power to re-write reality, we could, as it were, 'rewind' Nina-_ san _so that she was never injured in the first place. That should even restore her spirit to how it was. But…the trouble is…that key will essentially be drawing on…the power of Aeli Kanna-_ sama _and Mai-_ san _, correct?"_

 _"Y-yes…."_

 _"It's a step they haven't had to take before," Momo murmured. "Although they seem to have so much power back, they really are on their last legs…Kalan-_ san _destroyed them, and Takamichi-_ kun _and Kurt-_ kun _were the leaders in wiping out most of their remnants. They worked many elaborate plans to build the Obsidian Heart, and then make this key. More importantly, however…could this key be a threat to the attacking force, the captains, the knights, the rest of them?"_

 _"Y-yes…probably…."_

 _"Are there any other weaknesses in the device?" Jade demanded. "It seems to possess godlike power, and right now, the caveat 'only within the influence of the Obsidian Star' rings pretty hollow, because at the moment the entire Flying Capital is part of their territory."_

 _"Y-yes…there is one more thing…because reality-altering magic is so powerful and, well, dangerous, the key is not built to use the same abilities repeatedly. It is…still a new device, so even Dynamis-_ san _wasn't aware of all the restrictions, or the specifics, but it should be unable to consistently reuse the same abilities…."_

 _Jade mused over this. "I would almost prefer that they use it against us…if they consider our 'distraction' too great of a threat and use it to neutralize them before our operation can begin, we won't be able to stand up to their forces. However…if they bring it to bear on us…that will be trouble, but it will also be an opportunity. We'll have to try and take it if we can…."]_

8-8-8

 _('And here we are,')_ Jade thought. _('The one called Dynamis has come himself, bringing his larger artillery with him. The threat, and the opportunity, all at once….')_

"Spread out!" he commanded. "Attack him from all sides! Limit his ability to restrict us with the key…!"

"Well, 'restrict' is a good word, Colonel Curtis," rumbled Dynamis, standing suddenly just behind him. "As perhaps the finest spellcaster here and the lead tactical expert, I should 'restrict' you first…."

As Jade whirled around, the key in Dynamis' 'grip'—in reality, it always floated just a few inches in front of his hand—spun and flashed, and Jade froze absolutely still in place. "A subject frozen in time can neither act, nor be acted upon," rumbled Dynamis as he vanished and reappeared some distance back, avoiding the half-dozen fighters who had immediately leapt to attack him. "Now, what can the rest of you do? Don't disappoint me…."

Overcast was on him first, moving at his talisman-enhanced speed. Dynamis moved his shadows up to intercept the young man, but he weaved around the attacks and struck, impacting Dynamis' barrier. _('That…the barrier possessed by the highest-level minions of the Obsidian Star…_. _')_ After a few swift seconds of this exchange, Overcast feinted a strike, and as the shadow-wielder moved to block it, he suddenly withdrew, reaching for the staff….

But the staff suddenly flashed and spun again, and both Dynamis and his Master Key were past Overcast. A slight burst of magic rolled over him, and his talismans all cracked and disintegrated to dust, drained of their mana. Then a swarm of blade-like shadows washed over him, slicing him as they sent him flying.

Before Dynamis could even gloat, Natsu was in his face. "Remember me, Dark Cloak Man!?" he breathed, and began to lash out. Dynamis was forced to lightly retreat, maintaining that barrier as Natsu rained his blows against the dark mage. Then Grey began to contribute his own attacks at the same time, and then Erza, in one of her unique armors, joined in to press the mage, keeping him greatly off-balance and on the defensive. And then, at Lucy's command, Virgo buried herself through the floor and reappeared within reach of that staff once again….

But again the staff rotated and flashed, and portals opened behind the four Fairy Tail mages and Virgo, and they all disappeared inside of it. Nodoka, kneeling safely with most of the other reluctant combatants still at Kain's side, felt a burning on her Fairy Tail mark and Kain's cloak, still about her shoulders, rippled as if blown by a wind. Nodoka, suddenly concerned over the fate of her friends, almost didn't notice either event and paid no attention to them, but Yue, standing nearby and studying her artifact tome, saw the wince, the slight magic glow arising from that tattoo, and the ripple of the cloak, and the wheels in her head began to turn….

"W-where did they go?" Nodoka demanded.

"Time and space," Ami murmured, sitting close beside Nodoka and studying the battle on her visor. "He opened portals and sent them all somewhere else, possibly—hopefully—just outside. It's as you said—he can't simply repeat the same spell over and over and freeze all of us outside of time like he did to Jade- _san_ , but he can get several with a single spell if they fall within an area or under the same criteria…."

"The same criteria…yes…" Yue murmured. "Time and space…so…."

Kagome fired an arrow at Dynamis…which actually pierced his barrier, but he blocked it with his shadows. Then Inuyasha leapt at him from the opposite side, and he was forced to turn his powers on the _hanyô_ in order to repel him. Then both Tokine and Yoshimori surrounded him with _kekkai_ , but again his blade-like shadows flashed out to slash through the barriers, tearing them to shreds.

A spell from Lina took his attention next, momentarily breaking down that shield, and Inuyasha, Gourry, Zelgadis and Minsc all rushed in at the same, slashing him from multiple angles, cutting him to ribbons….

Then he vanished, and the staff as well, and finally he and the staff reappeared in the air…and then seven more copies of Dynamis appeared in the air around the chamber, and all of them, simultaneously, released a storm of shadow blades over his enemies, wounding several and sending more scattering to safety.

"W-what's with that?" demanded Akari, hardly believing what she was seeing. "Illusions?"

The copies vanished, and Dynamis laughed. "Not illusions. Not copies or _bunshin_ , either…more like versions of myself borrowed from other planes, other time periods, for a brief moment. But for that moment, it is an incredibly powerful attack, wouldn't you agree? So, that can't be all…who will be next?"

" _Bankai_." Delryn, flying under the influence of his one blazing wing, rose up to confront Dynamis with his fully released sword. Dynamis blocked the attack, and there was a brief struggle. "My dad sends his regards," Delryn told the man. "Apparently he's as hard to kill as you are."

There was a moment of silence. "Truly…? That is rather…pleasing…." There was certainly a dangerous edge in his voice….

Then Kenjirô slashed him down from behind with both his swords. "Don't let yourself get distracted…we've got you now…."

Dynamis coughed and gave a pained laugh. "And you, boy…don't get ahead of yourself…." He exploded into blackness…then the staff flashed and spun again, and a portal opened behind Kenjirô, and a fully healthy Dynamis stepped out of it. "You've probably realized that rewinding time can heal terrible wounds…applied in much the same way, it can return healed wounds…." As the staff returned to his 'grasp', it again activated, and power washed over Kenjirô. Suddenly the wound that Kain had given him earlier, the magic blade through his gut that had already almost healed, reappeared, and Kenjirô gasped in pain and shock. He still rounded on Dynamis, but a swarm of his shadows sent the _hanyô_ flying back down to the ground.

Delryn had not been idle during this. Almost as soon as Kenjirô had struck, he had attempted to reach out and grab the staff, but suddenly he was moving glacially, ponderously, nearly, but not quite, frozen in time. "I've taken the opportunity to practice with the device," he informed his hated foe's son. "You probably know because of the mind-reader that repeatedly using the exact same powers is difficult and dangerous…but it is not so, if you know how to tweak some of those abilities…." And a backhand sent Delryn flying.

"This isn't looking good," Hinagiku panted as Dynamis continued to befuddle, addle and injure those who opposed him. "He's got to have some sort of weakness…."

"We're working on it," Yue said, her usual dull tone masking her own concern, particularly as she watched Arika and Shiho be sent flying. "I think I've just about worked out a way to nullify the Master Key, at least temporarily—long enough for a good hit or two to strike him, which might be enough if we can get some heavy hitters on him…."

"That's good, because I think it's about, ah, 'recharged'," Ami noted. "I mean, it's nearly ready to reuse the spells he's already cast…it seems that window isn't that long." She returned her visor to book form and opened it to further study her readings. "However, there's something else I've discovered as well. Dynamis was shot by Aiden Rylack- _san_ 's 'mage-killing' bullet, and should have died…or at least been completely bereft of magic. But he has a device attached to his body, underneath his heavy cloak, that is forcibly reestablishing his link with magic. It's employing some force akin to _kanka_ to make it possible, and if there were a way to shut off that device or nullify that energy…."

"Like _kanka_ …" Yue murmured. "Wait, I think Hinagiku- _san_ 's anti-magic sword can channel a spell to do that…."

"Yes, I know that one," Hinagiku interrupted. "I remember it from last time, Yue- _chan_ , don't worry."

Yue started. "F-from last time? B-but I…."

"Oh, right…never mind. Just watch." Chanting the Latin under her breath, she began to charge in….

Kajirô, Erika, and Rei were in the midst of fighting Dynamis, and he just managed to repel all three of them as Hinagiku arrived on him. "I've got you…!"

But the staff acted again, and Hinagiku was back not far from the information-gathering team, in the midst of her charge. Even her expression seemed to be as it had been when she began the charge, and she was again chanting her Latin spell. Dynamis turned and sent his shadows flowing out to intercept the girl…but the joke was on him this time, since Hinagiku's anti-magic sword cut through the shadow blades without effort, and she did so while still maintaining her chant. Dynamis' rewind gave him time to acknowledge this, however, and he used his superior instant step to slip behind the girl and send her flying with a kick. "Well, that was dangerous…even your best trump card failed. It's about time to end this…."

"No," Yue said suddenly, standing up. "This is our real counterattack." She reached over and a laid a hand on the surprised shoulder of Nodoka—on top of Kain's cloak—and chanted a spell of her own, also in Latin.

Suddenly a magic mist seemed to settle around Dynamis, and the subtle glow around his staff vanished. "What!?" he demanded in shock. Then, in the next instant, Delryn was behind him, with no sword in his hands but his glowing wing adorning his back, and both of his palms flaring with energy.

"Checkmate," Delryn muttered, and put both hands on Dynamis' waist. The energy from his sigils exploded, and Dynamis screamed in pain as the energy coursed through him…and most particularly through his exoskeleton, which flared, cracked, and shattered.

Dynamis crumpled slowly to the ground, his cloak actually dissolving off of him, turning into shadow and smoking away, leaving him…lying actually rather naked, face down on the ground, and, staring at his rather muscled and impressive bronzed body, mass of messy black hair, and what portions of that fine face he managed to raise from the ground in his struggles, many of the girls had the same reaction that Eminus' collection had found.

"I-I was expecting…somebody monstrous," Chisame muttered. "But really…he's…."

"He's actually quite a hottie, isn't he?" Riza remarked almost cheerfully.

Groaning, the rest of the group began to pick themselves up and slowly, very carefully, approach. "I-is that it…?" murmured Erika.

As Dynamis fell, Kiami had slipped in, snatched up the staff, and taken it swiftly to Nodoka, who received it with some trepidation. Dynamis struggled to look that direction, towards Yue, still standing next to her kneeling friend. "W-what was that…? What did you do…?"

"A simple counterspell, really," Yue replied almost blandly. "I noticed the effect of your spells at work—when you banished Fairy Tail, something happened to Nodoka, too—or tried to happen, but there was a reaction from Kain- _san_ 's cloak that she's wearing. I surmised that you must have 'programmed' the spell, if that's the word for it, to teleport all members of Fairy Tail in the area to…wherever you sent them. Speaking of which…Nodoka?"

"Oh! Yes! I should…."

She muttered under her breath, holding up the staff, and a portal appeared in the air not far from her, lying horizontally, and the five members of Fairy Tail (including Happy, who had actually gone quite unnoticed in both massive brawls but had also fallen victim to the banishing) came falling out and onto the floor. Natsu seemed to be suffering from his usual motion sickness problem, as he lay on the ground groaning, and Grey seemed to be suffering suddenly from his usual underdressed problem, but Grey, Erza and Lucy all stood up and began to look around. "Well…it seems we won?" Erza finally said with a small smile.

"Where'd you end up?" Lina asked.

"One of the airships, apparently…."

Yue, ignoring this, continued her polite, anime-style lecture to Dynamis. "In any case, I realized that your program was targeting all nearby members of Fairy Tail, but the cloak Nodoka is wearing, the Cloak of Rashira, is an artifact of Time and Space as well, and through a combination of its power and her distance from the center of the spell, she was protected from your Master Key's effect. I realized then that we could use that power to combat the powers of the Master Key, similar to how Kain- _san_ has used the cloak's powers to channel magic of time and space in his many battles. So I just had to research a spell that could be so used, and, with the help of Ami analyzing the properties of that Master Key with her artifact, I was able to counteract it, nullify it…even if it was just for a few moments."

Dynamis chuckled. "Truly…I had not expected that, no, not at all…I suppose I should have paid more attention to such things, but with Kain Lockeheart out of the picture, I never believed that cloak could prove a threat…. Well, you've won. Now finish me off."

Most of the group recoiled at this. "W-what? No!" insisted Hinagiku. "We—we couldn't do anything like that!"

Dynamis laughed again. "If it's mercy that stays your hand, then you should use that sentiment to do the deed. I am a cripple, a broken man…I've only lived and operated this long through that broken device lying in pieces around me. There is no life left for me. Just finish me off."

"Interestingly, he speaks the truth…and reason," Archer noted, raising a sword as he approached. "An enemy like this should not be left behind us alive, mobile or not. If the rest of you are too squeamish for it, I'll perform the deed myself…."

"Now, hold on," Lina said with a sigh. "Let's not get too hasty, here. To be perfectly frank, I myself would be all for just leaving him here to rot…he's defeated, we're done with him. But most of our group here are girls my age with…a little more sentimentality. They're middle school girls from a normal world, and even after four months stuck in this hostile environment, they aren't hard enough to just abandon or kill this guy off hand. If one of us were to do it, they'd be pretty shaken the whole rest of our mission, probably…and that wouldn't be good for our chances, either. So we're a little stuck. But there are alternatives."

Dynamis glanced over at her. "What is this? What are you scheming? If your foolish children's sentimentality won't allow you to kill or abandon me, what can you possibly intend?"

"We have some means here to heal you pretty well," Lina pointed out. "Kagome's artifact could heal you right up, or we could use that Master Key to restore you…."

"You're obviously deranged," Dynamis chuckled. "The Master Key cannot undo an event as old as that…if it could, would you not think that I should have already used it myself? The healing fang of the Inu no Taishô…that could perhaps restore me, but would you seriously waste its valuable healing power on your enemy? It would truly be foolish to go that far as, if I were restored, I would immediately resume our battle. You must know that…."

"I _am_ aware," Lina sighed. "Well, we could do something. The Master Key could at least restore your crutch there so you could continue living a more-or-less normal life. We have several options…but of course we'd be foolish to do it and just let you attack us again. But there is a way we could compromise." She withdrew an object from the inner pockets of her cape…a statuette of an eagle holding a pair of balances in its beak.

Dynamis narrowed his eyes at it. "That's…the young Remnant's geas tool…."

"That's right. That's the impasse we're at—you don't want to be left alive as a broken man, and we don't want to kill you. We'll restore your mobility to you, if you swear on this artifact to never raise your hand against us or ours again. How's that sound?"

"Yes," Jade murmured as the now-unfrozen colonel rejoined the conversation. "I am also, of course, of the opinion that it would be best to be done with him, but if he's bound by magic to leave us alone, I'll relent for the sake of our more squeamish members."

Archer glanced back over his shoulder at Rin, who sighed and tossed her hair in a manner as absent-minded as it was imperious. "Sometimes you have to give in to popular opinion, Archer. That should make it reasonable, yes?"

Archer smiled slightly and shook his head. "Indeed. What a fascinating collection we have…girls far too soft-hearted to be involved in situations like this, yet the only ones we can count on. Very well. I'll relinquish my call for blood in this case."

"Now then, if we aren't going to have a civil war amongst ourselves," Lina finished, "it's on you, Mr. Dynamis. That's our offer. Will you accept it?"

Dynamis laughed harshly, painfully. "Truly…to be surrounded by enemies like these…I do not know whether to laugh or cry, to praise you or curse you for your empathy. It is foolish beyond measure, but in its own way, strong…but I am a creature of the Obsidian Star, bound already to serve it unto death. If misery and oblivion are all that await me, then I shall at least give my last breath…doing service to my prince!"

Suddenly Dynamis' arm transformed into a mass of black, shadow tentacles, which shot out towards the trio of Nodoka, Yue, and Ami, still hovering around the still form of Kain….

There were shouts, movement and spells, but nothing was faster, nothing could stop the sudden attack from reaching the three girls…and then they were all stopped just short of their targets as a hand closed over every strand. All eyes stared at Kain as he sat up, his hand still gripping the tentacles, and turned his gaze towards Dynamis. Dynamis stared back in sullen surprise himself. Then, before any words were exchanged, the shadowy mass in Kain's hand began to disintegrate, evaporate into the air, and Kain looked back at it in surprise. The disintegration followed the black mass back towards Dynamis, and upon reaching his shoulder the rest of his body slowly began to turn black and evaporate away. Dynamis actually chuckled. "Still you astound me, son of Lockeheart. Already you have recovered? Well…it matters no longer for me. You humans…in the end, you were…very interesting…." And, finally, as the rest of his head evaporated away, he was gone.

"Well…sacrificing all of his life force for one final, desperate attack," Overcast muttered. "He was…true, at least…." Then, like the rest, he turned his eyes to Kain.

"Kain- _sensei_ …" murmured Nodoka as Kain rose to his feet.

"Kain- _sensei_!" Kazumi cried in tears, throwing herself onto him.

With similar cries, the group began to surround and throng the young teacher.

"Easy, easy!" Kain laughed, politely trying to separate himself from those closest to him. "Goodness, all of you…thank you…."

"Kain- _sensei_! Are you really all right?" Kaoru cried.

"Convenient timing, waking up like that," Chisame growled, but she couldn't hide her smile. "You always have to be the damn hero, don't you? Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused?"

"Welcome back, Kain- _sensei_ ," Tear murmured.

"Yo, Kain," Kenjirô growled, smiling broadly even as he approached with a near-limp, clutching at his stomach with one hand. "Finally decided to get of your lazy duff, did you?"

Kain focused on his friend. "Kenjirô…well." He glanced over at Nodoka, who, as usual, had been just too timid to join the actual thronging. "Nodoka…everyone looks pretty roughed up. That staff can restore everyone, right?"

"O-oh! Y-yes! Give me a moment…." She held it up, chanted low under her breath, and an instantaneous light washed over the group, leaving them all completely recovered from their injuries…even curing Natsu's motion sickness, leaving him leaping up into the air and celebrating, as he often did when magic was able to alleviate his condition.

"Thank you," Kain said. He extended his hand towards her. "And now, please…."

"Ah! R-right…." Hurriedly, she removed the white cloak, and put it into Kain's outstretched hand.

Kain, still shirtless, with, even before Nodoka's work, no mark left on his chest, took the cloak, then snapped his fingers. He was instantly dressed in a rugged adventuring outfit rather similar to those they had seen his father wear in Aiden's movies of the past. Then, finally, he swept the cloak around his shoulders, and he was truly Kain Lockeheart again, teacher of Class 3-A, son of Kalan Lockeheart, leader of the White Wings.

That was the general impression, but Hinagiku wasn't so sure. "Kain- _sensei_ ," she murmured. "Are you absolutely sure you're all right?"

Kain chuckled, that familiar, self-deprecating chuckle, but there was an edge to it that most of them hadn't heard before. "All right…in what way?" he said. He glanced at the massive partition wall that now cut off the hangar from the outside, then glanced back at the elevator which led into the Palace proper. "This is…the Obsidian Palace, right? I don't think I know everything that's going on, but I've got a general idea. I was captured…and they did something to me. I have no idea how that will affect me in the future. But that's not important now. We're here…and up there, at the heart of the Palace…is the Obsidian Prince…my father…and Mai, too, right?"

Numbly, several of the girls nodded in response. "Then there's no time to worry about me or my condition," Kain continued. "We have to move forward…and I have to do my part as well."

Kamo hopped onto Kain's shoulder. "Well, it's good to have you back! That's one problem out of the way…and things are looking a lot more up now! Let's stop stalling and get going!"

Winfield whistled. "Dynamis…lost. And now he's gone. That's…saddening, somehow…."

Ellis stared at the monitor at her station, emotions swirling inside her. "Right," she said finally. "Well then, I guess it's our turn…."

"W-wait!" Faina suddenly wailed from another station. "T-there's…some strange reaction on our sensors! Some power is in there with them…!"

"Reinforcements!?" spat Fyuria fiercely. "Well, bring 'em on…!"

The Prince glanced over at the nearest monitor and smiled slightly. "No, no," he chuckled. "Actually, that one's on our side. There's nothing to worry about…."

8-8-8

Kain and Kenjirô were the first to react, stiffening suddenly and glancing back towards the partition wall. A few at a time, in a kind of randomized wave, the rest of the massed party turned that direction as well to see what the matter was. And there, they saw her…a girl, strangely, in that uniform they recognized, the Mahora Academy Girls' Middle School uniform (summer edition), with long blue-green hair. She was not a member of their class, but she was a popular and active girl they all recognized….

"Asakura Ryoko…" Kain murmured.

"Oh, _hell_ , not this now…!" Kamo moaned.

"It's been a while, Kain- _sensei_ ," the lovely _iinchô_ of class 3-E said cheerfully. "We haven't actually spoken since that alternate future, have we? That means, depending on your point of view, we haven't spoken in…well, it doesn't matter, does it…?"

"Oi, oi, oi, wait a minute!" Chisame suddenly demanded. "This can't be right! You can't change the script suddenly like this! A random girl from our school but from another class can't just suddenly be here! Where's the foreshadowing? Where's the proper plot development!? Okay, so maybe this girl was almost too 'Miss Perfect' to be real, but even that joke doesn't fly, since we have the _Kaichô_ twins in our group! Is this some prank, or some illusion, or…?"

Suddenly Archer was above the girl, dropping down on her with swords in hands. Jade was sending a spell her way, as was Rin. All three attacks stopped dead about a foot away from her.

"T-that's a bit sudden, isn't it?" Kajirô objected. "To attack a middle school girl like that…."

"Her mere presence is an irregularity we can't afford to ignore," Jade insisted.

"There's no way a girl like Asakura Ryoko could possibly be here!" added Rin. "Either she is an illusion, or else the girl is something more than she seems, and the fact that she's here means she has to be in league with the Obsidian Star!"

"It's all right, Tsukai- _kun_ ," Ryoko chuckled, still smiling quite happily. There was a slight flash of energy, and all the attacks were repelled, and Archer, the only combatant actually within range of the girl himself, was sent flying, only to vanish and then reappear in a more stable condition in front of Rin. "There's no need to worry. I can take any number of attacks like this. There's no threat of them hurting me."

"That's a strange spell she's got," noted Erza, having spotted the brief characters that were slightly visible with the shield during the attacks. "Is it a kind of magic writing?"

"It's not a spell, or magic writing as such," Ryoko objected amiably. "No, giving it a description like that is like calling a computer an abacus. But there's no need to worry about it. I have no intention of hurting anyone. Rather, I'm only here to stop you."

"Really?" Kiami asked slyly. "And how, pray tell, will you do that?"

Ryoko continued smiling, but there was a sudden change in the atmosphere…in a moment, every one of them was struck with an immense amount of magical pressure, dropping down on them, filling the room. It was if every molecule of air around them had become mana instead, suffocating them, stifling them, crushing them under its influence….

"W-what is she, really?" Kenjirô muttered. "Just like the other one…I thought I knew, but I never expected this…."

Still Ryoko smiled her perfect, happy smile at them. "I'll explain things quite plainly," she stated. "The future that the Obsidian Star is striving to create will result in far less bloodshed than the world you are aiming for. So I'd rather you not interfere anymore."

"Yes, I'm sure it will," Kain growled, refusing to even stoop under the pressure. "After all, the dead don't bleed, only the living do…."

"How aptly put, Kain- _sensei_ , as expected! But no matter how you argue, the utopia of magic they envision will be far more interesting than your flawed creation. So I'd kindly ask you to bow out of this. If you agree, then…." The pressure relieved slightly as Ryoko raised her hand, and the walls around them began to…disappear, evaporate, and….

"What's going on here!?" Tear demanded in shock. "It's like…the scenery around us is being rewritten…we're…!"

"…Then I will immediately return you to this place," finished Ryoko.

And there they all were…all the students, friends and associates, Ryoko herself, even the wrecked _El-Hazard_ , were in the middle of the massive lawn just south of the World Tree of Mahora Academy.

8-8-8

"I-it can't be…" Yayoi gasped. "They've…all disappeared! They're totally gone…they've vanished! Even the Master Key couldn't transport them anywhere outside of our sensors…."

"Okay, this is a nice sudden joke," Winfield sighed. "Really, Zerva…is this a prank you're playing on me because I skip so many meetings…?"

The syrium scowled over at him. "What are you talking about? I don't know anything more about this matter than you do."

Winfield turned to Eminus. "Then, Eminus- _sama_ …why didn't you tell any of us about it…?"

"I am not aware of this person or anything about her, either," Eminus stated flatly.

This totally stumped Winfield, who could only remain silent. There was a chuckle as Alvaris manifested and dropped on top of Ellis' head. "You could say she's an accident we lucked into…kinda like me…."

"Well, but she's been at work behind the scenes for a while now," the Prince smirked. "You all have heard a great deal about 'Cosmo Entelecheia' and what it can do for our plans…well…this is its source and instrument…."

8-8-8

"T-this is getting absurd," Chisame muttered. "We're just at the front door, and we're fighting our _third_ boss in a row…only now we're not at the front door anymore, we're back at Mahora…thanks to possibly the most unlikely person we'd ever expect to find in this world…."

Students were walking by in casual clothes—apparently school had not yet resumed, a small and random thought for the lost souls currently experiencing late December weather in Arcanus Myrror—and they stopped to gawk at the strange scene with the collection of battle-garbed young warriors, the wrecked aircraft, and the single uniformed girl opposite them.

"So, if I were to return you all here…that would solve half of your problems, wouldn't it?" Ryoko said, still smiling her bright, dazzling smile.

"And, what's worse, she knows how to hit us right where it hurts," continued Chisame.

"Don't be fooled!" Tear cried suddenly, trying to rally the shocked girls around her. "This could not possibly be the Asakura Ryoko we know! We can't possibly be at Mahora Academy! This has to be a trick! Travel between the worlds is impossible right now!"

Ryoko giggled. "Well…that's true…for mortals. But remember what I said about the computer and the abacus…Kain- _sensei_ and dear little Kamo- _kun_ can tell the truth…."

Tear glanced back to Kain in surprise, and he nodded. "Yes. This is the Asakura Ryoko we know…the same one I talked to in Sakura's alternate future. This magic…is something only someone like her could do right now…."

"That's right. I was actually rather sad when you ended that dream…Sakura's created future was set to become much more interesting. It might have persuaded us to hold off on cooperating with the Obsidian Star. But now, they have the much more promising future to offer. The path you are forging, in trying to 'save' these worlds, will lead to suffering, bloodshed, and chaos on a tremendous scale. It will be something never before seen in the history of both worlds. And you will be responsible for it. But if you agree to step aside…I'll leave you all here, so that you can resume your peaceful, happy lives…."

"Happy for whom, for how long!?" Kazumi snapped, stunning most of those around here. "E-even if we return safely home…what about our friends we have here, who are from Arcanus Myrror!? You really think…you can just ask us to abandon them, when they're right here in front of us!? How could we even think of it!?"

As Ryoko turned her gaze to the girl, Kain suddenly cut in, "All that you say may be true…but it doesn't matter. 'Life' is both 'happiness' and 'suffering'. It's cruel to say, but it's the truth. Capitulating to the Obsidian Star means handing over the destiny of all these worlds into their hands…and if it won't result in oblivion, the most 'peaceful' state there is, then it will be the closest thing. Even if there's pain…even if there are heartache and troubles and sorrows…humans have to be free to live as they will. The Obsidian Star's world won't allow that."

Ryoko giggled again. "Ah, dear Kain- _sensei_ …how wrong you are. I suppose I have no choice…." She raised her hand again, leaving it perpendicular to her body, and they were once again back in the hangar of the Obsidian Palace. Then she raised her hand further, until it was fully spread above her head, as if to grasp the heavens. "…I'll have to show you the ultimate 'peace', 'joy', _and_ 'freedom' afforded by the Obsidian Star's dream…allow me to welcome you…to Cosmo Entelecheia…."

A white light burned above her hand, which then blasted out in a gigantic, prolonged flash, filling all of their worlds with white….

8-8-8

It was so warm, and peaceful…everything was….

"…n- _sen…._ "

…What was that…?

"…n- _sensei_ …."

Something was shaking his peaceful, perfect world, threatening to destroy it. How rude….

"Get up already, Kain- _sensei_!"

The sheets underneath the boy came flying off the bed, upending the sleeping redhead and dropping him quite harshly onto the floor. Kain lay unceremoniously in some comical contorted heap on the floor, and he opened his eyes and glanced up at his assailant. "What was that for, Mai?" He struggled to a more natural position. "And…what you doing in my room?"

"You've been oversleeping. We can't let our teacher be late on the first day of the new trimester, can we? But if I'd left you alone, you certainly would have…what were you doing all night?"

Kain thought about this. "I don't know. September 3rd…maybe I was just enjoying the last day of vacation too much, or…whatever." He glanced suspiciously at her. "But why are you awake so early?"

"My early morning job today," Mai replied, heading towards the kitchenette. "I'll whip you up a breakfast real quick. Get cleaned up and dressed."

"I'm supposed to do that with a female student in my room?"

"You can do it with magic in the wink of an eye. What, you think _I_ am gonna peak on _you_ or something? I could only do it if you wanted me to."

"Well, maybe, but it's the principle of the thing!"

Mai smirked at him. "You can talk about 'the principle of the thing' when you convince that senile old geezer of a principal to finally find you a room elsewhere other than the girls' dorm."

"Touché…so how on earth did you get in here, anyway?"

"You're obviously still half-asleep. Go get cleaned up and dressed already!"

Sighing, Kain left Mai to her work and moved himself into the shower. He technically didn't need it to get himself cleaned—magic could do it perfectly well for him, but he always enjoyed the feeling of a good hot shower, and a good hot bath even more. But—because it was the principle of the thing—he used magic to immediately dry and clothe himself when he finished and walked out to find Mai's meal prepared for him.

He wolfed it down, then began to hurry outside. He was, indeed, late…as he swiftly caught up to Mai (who had departed after leaving him his food), Momo, and Kagome, he found that they were still at the back half of the tide of students moving from the residential area towards the school buildings.

Momo and Kagome greeted him as he ran level with them and saluted them. "So, your lovely wife tended well to you this morning?" Kagome teased, almost causing Mai to trip over and fall.

"I-it's hardly like that, Kagome!" Mai scolded her, red-faced.

"Well, but even if you're practically siblings, it's awfully precious attention," Momo added.

"Considering you've watched both of us grow up, Momo, you probably shouldn't join in on conversations like that," Kain replied.

"Erk…."

As Momo sought a retort, Kain gave them a swift 'farewell' salute and hurried past them towards the teachers' lounge.

He slowed slightly as he began to pass Nodoka, Yue, and Ami. He smiled and greeted them, which the latter two returned easily enough.

" _Sensei_ …" Nodoka quavered. "U-uh, um, u-uh…g-goo…g-good morn…."

A new figure came streaking up to interrupt the shy girl's attempt. "Good morning, Kain- _sensei_!" shouted Kaoru and Kanade, attempting to tackle the teacher around his neck.

Kain moved ever-so-slightly aside, letting the girls hit the ground instead. "Sorry," he said almost playfully. "Instinct. Are you all right, Kaoru, Kanade- _san_?"

"H-heh…yeah…" Kaoru said, getting back to her feet.

"Of course!" Kanade insisted, hopping to her own immediately.

"For crying out loud," Riku sighed, walking up to them with her sister next to her. "Can't you two reign in it a little? You can't go after our teacher like hit-men or rabid animals like that…."

Ignoring her sister, Risa suddenly surged forward. "Kain- _sensei_ , Kain- _sensei_!" She unfolded a hand of tarot cards towards Kain, the backs facing him. "This is important! I have to give you a fortune this morning!"

"We're almost late," Kain informed her, walking backwards easily as he continued on with the growing throng. "We hardly have time for a tarot reading. If today's that important to you, I can stop by during class activities today…."

"No, no, it has to be now! We don't need a full reading, just pick one card!"

Knowing the girl would not be dissuaded, Kain did so…and revealed 'The Magician'. "Okay! So…you will be reunited with a magnificent person today…someone from…somewhere truly exotic! How interesting!"

"I see…thank you, Risa- _san_." Kain nodded at her, handed the card back, and turned himself back towards the teachers' office, greeting several more of his students on the way.

"Yo, Kain- _kun_!" Takamichi hailed him from an upper window. As Kain returned that greeting, Takamichi continued, "The flight may be a little late coming in, but I'll let you know when it arrives, so don't worry about anything! Just do your best today!"

 _('…Flight? As in, plane flight? I don't recall anything about a flight…heh…does that have something to do with being 'reunited' today?')_ "Okay, thanks! I'm a bit late this morning, so we'll talk later!"

A short time later he walked in as the bell rang and greeted his class. He beamed over the twenty-nine girls as they went through the pre-class motions. Wait…twenty-nine…?

"Sakura…" Kain said to the red-headed girl sitting in about the center of the room. "You're…back with us?" _('Maybe that is the 'reunion' with someone from an exotic place…? After all, she's from…she's from…where is she from…?')_

Sakura cocked her head at Kain, a kind but somewhat quizzical smile on her face. "What are you talking about? Sure, I went home to see my folks over the break, but everyone has to be back by the time the new trimester starts…."

"A-ah…r-right…sorry, don't know…what I was thinking…."

The class began to guffaw at Kain's faux pas. "Kain- _sensei_ is having weird delusions about the class," Riza snorted.

"Maybe he got invited to go out with the other teachers and they let him drink too much alcohol," Miki proposed.

"Ah, no! Our Kain- _sensei_ is becoming a lush!" Izumi finished quite cheerfully.

"All right, that's enough," Hinagiku snapped, interrupting the laughter. "Please, Kain- _sensei_ …when you're ready…."

"R-right…sorry everyone…so…it being the first day back…would anyone like to one-up their absentminded teacher by admitting they didn't remember to finish their summer vacation homework…?"

Dead silence greeted this proposal. Hinagiku turned and leveled a death stare at the class. "Don't tell me he's right…? Who didn't remember…?"

The Baka Rangers all looked away guiltily, and even Mai's smirk froze and became a grimace as Hinagiku glanced around the room, and probably a dozen more faces refused to meet her gaze. "For shame, really!" she sighed. "How can you act this way? We are the proud students of Mahora Academy, Girls' Middle School Class 3-A! We have to take better care not to tarnish that name. We should follow the example of our top student! Right, Sakura- _chan_?"

Hinagiku looked proudly at Sakura, who gave her a beatific smile. "Actually, Hina…I didn't do any of my homework, either. I was too busy having fun with my friends and little brother."

Hinagiku's smile froze. "W-what did you say, Sakura- _chan_ …?"

"I. Didn't. Do. My. Homework," Sakura repeated, almost proudly.

A second later Hinagiku exploded as the rest of the class laughed. "B-but how can our top student set such an example for our student body…!?"

"I never do homework, actually," Sakura mused, putting a finger to her chin and staring at the ceiling. "I always do it the next day in class, right before I have to turn it in. Or as soon as I receive it, before the next class starts. Here, I have it; I'll finish it while Kain- _sensei_ teaches the lesson. It's not like I can't speak English just as well as he can." So saying, she removed a great stack of papers from her bags and began to go through them with surprising speed and an equally surprising lack of hurry or concern.

Kain allowed himself to smile and his gaze to sweep back around the room as the class roared with laughter again. A few faces weren't laughing…Chisame's forced woodenness, Miyu's and Rei's usual woodenness, Alyssa offered him her usual evil smirk for the briefest moment…and Yuki. For some reason, Kain's gaze settled for the longest on Yuki, who was as blank-faced and inscrutable as ever. Yuki Nagato was as she always was, but…somehow, there seemed to be something intense in her gaze, something far more serious than she had ever shown she was even capable of….

Shaking himself from the feeling, he finally silenced the class and got them back on topic….

8-8-8

The class continued and concluded without any more chicaneries, and finally Kain departed when it was over. He mused over the events of the day. He felt strange, somehow…it seemed like he didn't know some of the girls or other things as well as he should have. Perhaps it was just the extra-long vacation period….

At lunch he was at a table with Kazumi, Matake and Yukari, who had successfully acquired his attentions for the period. He listened half-heartedly to the tales Yukari and Matake seemed to be spinning, still musing on matters. "…Isn't that right, Kain- _sensei_?" Yukari finished suddenly.

"A-ah? W-well, I don't know…."

"Ah, c'mon, Kain- _sensei_! You of all people should be able to say…" Yukari wheedled.

"Kain- _sensei_ , are you all right?" Kazumi offered. "You've seemed…a bit off all day…. Are you sick? Is it summer heat fatigue?"

Kain waved the question away. "No, no…I'm perfectly all right, really. I was just thinking…how nice and peaceful everything is…."

This brought silence to the trio. "Oh, c'mon!" Matake suddenly burst out. "You're talking like an old man, Kain- _sensei_! That's embarrassing!"

But soon they were settled into talking about other things, with Kazumi joining them this time, and Kain continued to think as he watched them, a contented half-smile on his face. _('Yes, it's nice and peaceful…that's right…nothing's changed since the first term. This is now my daily life. Even though nothing significant ever happens, it's certainly not boring…that's it, isn't it? No…I'm dissatisfied with something. It's not that I hate this idyllic life. But…what could it be…? It feels like I've forgotten something important…something…I was looking for…there was something I was aiming for…. Something….')_

"Oh, hey, there you are! Kain!"

The voice shocked Kain right to his core, running up and down his spine and making his mind go numb. He slowly turned around to look at the one who was hailing him.

"Yeah, the plane got here quicker than we thought, but I told Takamichi not to say anything…we wanted to surprise you in your room, but…well, we've found you right here!"

Kain finished his glacial turn and stared in complete shock at the two figures lit by the sun in the sky behind them. Despite the glare, despite everything, including that strange, cavernous feeling of distance…he instantly recognized both figures…particularly the one in the lead….

"So, how you doing, Son?" asked the figure.

Standing before Kain, flanked by Aeli Kanna, was Kalan Lockeheart.

F I N

 _Author's Note: Alternate Reality_

 _What's going on!? Is this real!? Where is Kain!? Is this Kain, or some other Kain!? Why am I using so many !? symbols!? And why am I asking so many confusing questions!?_

 _It's certainly confusing…Ryoko Asakura has returned to us, but, really, what is with her? There's a lot still to go on about…._

 _Since he's finally done, I can touch on Dynamis. I largely pulled him as one of the few Cosmo Entelecheia villains I wanted to keep. I had him doing a whole bunch of other things more than he did before, had him defeated by Aiden in a unique way so that I could demonstrate the attack's effects, and so he had that vengeance streak. After being a seldom-seen, super-imposing figure early on, a little window in the pre-final battle, which I used in degrees here, revealed him to be an unintentionally humorous figure (he was made stupid-funny by the comedy piece, but he himself didn't intend to be funny) as he was actually handsome under his mask, wowing Fate's girls pretty much as I had Eminus' harem react, and he also revealed that Takamichi and Kurt had hunted the evil organization down to almost nothing, and so he and the rest were forced into the uncool tactic of 'playing dead' to survive._

 _Well, I'd rather not rant more at the moment…we have mysteries to get to…._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Four: Cosmo Entelecheia

Kain stared at the two figures. Powerful emotions froze him. His mind was overcome by two simple figures. "Dad…M-Mom…?" he breathed.

There was an explosion of energy as his students leapt to action. "Oh! It's Kain _-sensei_ 's dad! Hey!" Matake cried.

"Welcome back, Kalan- _san_ , Aeli- _san_ ," Yukari greeted the pair.

"Hello again! It's good to see you!" enthused Izumi as the trio appeared.

"Our class' two biggest celebrities have arrived!" Riza added.

"We graciously welcome you," Miki finished.

And on they came; in very short order, word had spread around, and the class came from all corners to greet their beloved _sensei_ 's parents. The pair did their best to fend off the noisy, enthusiastic little teens.

"We're all very excited to see you again," Sakura suddenly said, skillfully interrupting the chaos, "but I think Kain- _sensei_ has something he wants to say…."

All eyes turned to Kain, who had sat frozen in his seat as all of this was going on, not reacting at all. He was, however, on the verge of tears. His parents stared at him in surprise. "Kain…what's wrong?" Aeli asked in concern.

Kain threw himself into his mother's arms, much to the shock of everyone, crying quite profusely, and after a few moments, striving to rope in his father as well. Confused, the pair embraced him and attempted to soothe the emotional young man.

Up above on a walkway surrounding the collection of outdoor café tables, Yuki stared down at the scene. "Be careful, Kain- _sensei_ ," she murmured. "Once you fall into this place, you can never go back. This is the place severed from all other realms…the eternal garden…the pure paradise…Cosmo Entelecheia."

8-8-8

"Are you sure you're okay, Kain?" Aeli asked, concerned. "I-I mean…you seemed really upset…."

It was some time later. Kain was hosting his parents in his room, with assistance from his neighbors, Mai, Momo, and Kagome. "I-I'm fine, really," Kain insisted. "I…I don't know what came over me…it just felt like…I'd been waiting a lifetime to see you, or something…."

"That's…a _very_ unusual reaction from the normally suave, cool, composed Kain- _sensei_ ," Kagome giggled. "I mean, it hasn't been that long at all…you just got back from America last week…."

Kain flushed deeply. "I-I know…I-I'm sorry, I….."

"Stop apologizing, Kain," Mai instructed with small a smile. "It's all right. Sometimes those things happen." To his parents, she continued, "He probably had a horrible dream last night. He didn't wake up this morning, either…I had to throw him out of bed. When something clicks over his emotional switch, the littlest thing can set him off like that…."

Kain shot her an exasperated look. "Thanks, Mai."

Kalan chuckled. "It's been informative, letting you go away…putting you with people who can see those things. You're always trying to be so tough when you're around other people, even your family. You don't have to, Kain; your mother and I will be perfectly happy if you be yourself."

Kain waved it away. "Thanks, Dad. But even so…acting tough like that _is_ being myself, believe it or not. I can't… _not_ be. I'm all right now, though. So let's just forget about that."

There was a brief knock, and before the occupants could even react to it, the door was thrown open. "Heyas!" Kanade greeted them. "We came to throw a welcome party to the Lockeheart family!"

Kain stared with a defeated, accepting smile, knowing he was powerless to prevent them. Kalan laughed and invited them all in, while Mai stared sullenly at the invaders.

They partied in usual 3-A fashion for some time before the responsible neighbors (Mai, Kagome, and Momo, acting as the teacher's wardens due to his own impotence in rebuking them) finally evicted them and began to clean up after them. "What a crazy group," Kalan laughed. "Son, you are their teacher…I don't think I really should tell you your business, but…maybe you should try to get more of a handle on them…."

"He does fine in class," Momo assured the man with a smile. "Sometimes he even frightens them. But he's nothing more than their friend and plaything outside of class; still, it's okay, since we're here to take care of him."

"Don't say it like that," Kain protested. "I'm not a little boy or anything…."

"Might as well be," Mai needled him. Kain shot her back another exasperated half-glare and a strange smile.

"Are you staying in the area?" Kagome asked them.

"Yes; we couldn't possibly impose on you guys," Kalan replied. "In fact, your grandfather keeps a place for me here at the Academy. We're planning on hanging out for a couple weeks this time; I really haven't had a chance to show my wife anything yet, since we were with Kain all during Golden Week. I'll probably show her around Kyoto, too, for a few days…."

"A-ah…um…" Kain began, hesitating, as he tried to offer his question to his departing parents.

Aeli seemed to read his intent, however. "Our place has plenty of room," she said. "Would you like to stay with us tonight, Kain? Tomorrow's Saturday, after all."

"Y-yes! I would!"

8-8-8

As the trio walked through the streets of Mahora, Kain between his parents, they continued to regale him with news. "Mira was sorry she missed you," Kalan said. "That was pretty bad timing; she went to visit with Tear and Van and the rest of her family."

The words froze Kain. The image of a frozen statue flashed through his mind, but when it was gone, he couldn't recall what he had thought, but it still left him cold and shaken inside. "Y-yeah…."

"I hear they'll be coming by at Christmas to see Konosuke, though," Aeli said happily. "You should come back then, too, and bring Mai with you; we could have a merry reunion."

"Ah, if we get started on it, we could get the whole band," Kalan added. "Get Aiden and Iria to bring Delryn, invite Eishun and Konoka and Kagome, even Takamichi, and see if we can wrangle in Artoria and Jynx…."

"Yeah…that'd be a lot of fun," Kain agreed. After a few moments' pause, he added, "May I…hold your hands for a little while…?"

The pair looked at him in surprise. "Still suffering from your bad dream this morning?" Kalan teased lightly, but he offered his hand.

"Of course you may," Aeli added, taking Kain's left in her right.

"Thank you," Kain said quietly.

"I think Mai's right," Kalan said. "Something's got you rattled. Are you really sure you're okay, Kain?"

"Yeah…yeah…sorry. It's just…I don't know. But I feel…like I missed something in childhood…and just a few minutes like this could make it all worth it."

"Well, as long as you need, Kain," Kalan said. "We love you. We'll do anything for you. If you need, we'll stay longer."

"Yeah…that'd be great."

Kalan laughed. "Still…I scolded you earlier, but you seem to be doing well with that energetic class. How is it? Are you holding up?"

"Yeah…every day is fun."

"Good," Aeli said. "Are you really happy?"

Kain thought for a moment, a large smile slowly spreading across his face. "…Yes. I honestly am. But…." And Kain let go of the hands and stopped, leaving them walking a step in front of him and turning back quizzically. They froze in place as he began to turn away. "…This isn't the real world…right, Nagato- _san_?"

There, standing about twenty feet behind him, was student number fifteen, Yuki Nagato, wearing her glasses, dressed in her summer uniform, with her ever-present blank, robotic face. She nodded slightly. "Yes…that is correct, Kain- _sensei_. However, this, too, is a form of reality."

"Then this reality…is Cosmo Entelecheia, which the Obsidian Star is seeking to create?"

"Yes." The world had frozen around Kain as he began to consult with Yuki, and now, it was becoming a type of background to a null-space, where Kain and Yuki were now standing; the best way to describe the view was now, effectively, that they were standing in the air many hundred feet above the frozen picture of the ground down below them.

Kain regarded the scene curiously for a brief moment. "I see. You…and Asakura Ryoko- _san_ are both spirits of magic, similar to Kamo, aren't you?"

"That is correct. Specifically, we are humanoid interfaces created by the Magic Data Entity for interaction with races on the mortal planes. Our mission is to examine and observe this mortal world and, if necessary, act in the interests of our creators."

Kain nodded. His recent expansion of abilities, in being infused and transformed by magic, had brought him a connection to magic on a higher level, and to a degree he had already perceived this 'Entity', or, as he understood it, this collection of magical spirits, native to the magical plane, that had evolved into beings of mana and thought. "I somehow…realized that you, alone, were…real, in this world. I perceived you. And I knew…you were the same as the one I saw in my inner world. I guess that's because…of what I became, what I am now."

"What you are now…both parts." She gestured again, and the world faded away to reveal a new scene…a churning, flaming sphere in a sea of black, a world on fire, almost a sun unto itself. "The Obsidian Star has traveled many worlds and systems of stars, finding worlds of magic and consuming them to prolong its life. Humans and other races inhabiting these worlds were considered infestations in their homes, and so they were dominated or absorbed, used as chattel and source for their own proliferation. Although once mortal, the Obsidian Prince's obsessive studies and gatherings of magic long ago raised him to a state similar to your own and then far beyond, and he created his own race to aid him in his journeys. He fed his power by converting the life force of these worlds into mana and energy for his use."

"But this plane of space-time is very unique…like many worlds of high mana, it is bound by realms of heavenly and abyssal creatures, elemental forces, and spiritual habitations. However, by heavenly power six worlds were tied together to create a new world, and here the Obsidian Prince found a new opportunity. By fusing these worlds, it will create a perpetual source of mana that will feed even his endless appetite…and more besides. Because of this, mortal races would no longer be a hindrance. His true motivations are unknown, but now, mortal races factor into his plan. The population of seven worlds will largely be destroyed by the cataclysm resultant from the merging of those planets, but for the remainder, there would be…a plan. Those who are agreeable and useful to them will be part of their human kingdom, the new floating city of Eldrant. Those others, especially those who perhaps can be conditioned to be useful to them, or who can be studied, would be put in a new world, a magical plane—the dream world, the eternal garden, the perfect paradise, Cosmo Entelecheia."

The scenes shifted for Kain as Yuki explained all of this. Several images appeared in the air around Kain now, showing him many scenes involving Kalan…and his growing family. "It is not correct to say that these worlds are only illusions. Cosmo Entelecheia is an alternate reality, created by the data of this world, including those lifeforms that live or have lived in the world, their own thoughts, and shadows from other realms of time-space. Using this data, a new world is created, not quite in the material plane, but in an astral plane slightly offset from the 'original world', a world that is perfect for the subject of that particular world. Such it was for your world—a world where the Obsidian Prince and all of his subjects were defeated twenty years ago. Your father and mother were both present, and able to raise you happily; they were able to save your village without incident. Tokiha Mai was raised along with you, practically your sister, and Hinamori Momo and others of his comrades from the war twenty years ago have been your frequent companions. Alysaser the Herdsman never attacked you, nor did the Graf Wilhelm Josef von Herrmann, nor was there any attack in Kyoto. Even Sakura Johnson's visit to this time-space point became a peaceable journey, extended through the machinations of Kalan himself. In other words, this is a world in which you have no battles, no enemies to face…you have no responsibilities, no troubles, no worries about the future. A perfectly happy life has been paved for you, free from conflict or worry."

Kain considered the scenes. "You and Asakura Ryoko are human interfaces for the Magical Data Entity…but why is she assisting the Obsidian Star with this 'Cosmo Entelecheia'?"

"The intelligences that make up the Magical Data Entity are individual, even in their union…their opinions differ. Ryoko's master believes that this new world the Obsidian Star creates can become a new plane of magic, the equivalent of a new potential magical source that is complementary to the plane of our existence. This entity believes that the spread and propagation of magic on a stellar scale is beneficial to all magic…and the magical spirit named Alvaris is also of this opinion, and so they have allied with the Obsidian Star."

"…You said this is 'my' world. As I said, you are more 'real'…the rest of the inhabitants are the 'shadows' created for my world, and not my real students and friends. I assume…they have their own perfect dream worlds?"

"Yes. Each of your companions is involved in his or her own dream world, one perfectly appropriate for them." Yuki gestured again, and the screens began to show the collection of Kain's friends, all involved in what they obviously considered their idyllic lifestyle. Most of them were scenes associated with Mahora Academy…but largely revolving around only one or maybe two or three girls, and Kain himself, he couldn't help but notice.

"But still…this isn't the real world," Kain said.

"That is technically correct. These worlds will never be as strong as true 'reality'. They are similar to the worlds created through the power of Sakura Johnson; they have substance and the power of life, but cannot exist without another power feeding them. However, these girls are still quite young; for them, many of these worlds could still be but a small step away, without the power of a Cosmo Entelecheia. However, they do not have the power to leave this plane…neither mentally nor magically. However, you, a creature of magic and, now, worlds beyond mortality, do have that power. It is your choice." The scene of Kain's Cosmo Entelecheia returned, and Kain, standing again in the air, stared down at the frozen figures of his mother and father. "This is the perfect world of happiness for you, the world a million other Kains through the universes of existence would happily choose…a world you almost certainly will never obtain on your own. Will you willingly reject this world and return to the pain, strife, fears and responsibilities of the 'real world'?"

Kain stared down at his parents. He understood the truth of Yuki's words. In a moment, his heightened magical senses saw a few more scenes flash before his eyes, images that convinced him of their absolute certainty—he understood, truly, in a shocking moment, even Sakura's reasons for her strange interest in him….

"No. I will not choose this. Not even for one night. I can't begin to make that excuse. I have my responsibilities…as much as I want to run from them, as much as I wish I could forget them, I simply can't. My place is elsewhere." He glanced over at her with a smile. "It was good to finally meet you, Nagato Yuki- _san_. Thank you for this. I'm going back."

He began to fade away. Yuki nodded at him. "Good luck, Kain- _sensei_." She glanced to her side, at the multitude of images of Cosmo Entelecheia versions. Then she slowly faded away.

8-8-8

The group collapsed around them—Lina and Gourry, Jade and Overcast, Minsc and Aerie, Kain and Delryn, Hinagiku and Erika, and all the rest as well…all except Chisame, Kaoru, and Riza (and Archer and Kamo, who had instead completely vanished). They stared in shock at their fallen comrades, then rushed over to them. "Kain- _kun_!" cried Kaoru, going first to their teacher.

"Oi, big heroes, Kenjirô- _kun_ , Del- _kun_!" Riza shouted, hitting both boys. "Wake up already!"

And Chisame was going after Jade. "Oi! Weird _Megane_ Colonel! What's up with _you_? Aren't you supposed to be the professional, keeping the rest of us in line!? Open your damn eyes already!"

"It's only natural," Ryoko said happily, moving slowly forward. She gestured around at all the sleeping (most with happy expressions on their faces) individuals. "The more unfulfilled wishes a person carries, the greater the void that exists in their heart…a void that is filled by Cosmo Entelecheia."

Chisame, gritting her teeth in fear, turned slowly to stare at the mad mana-girl. "This…is 'Cosmo Entelecheia'?"

"Well, to be precise, this is the 'rough draft' version," Ryoko explained. "The completed version absorbs the subject, body and all, into their own individual world for all eternity, making it easier to fashion a true reality. Of course, this incomplete version, by its very nature, is completely ineffective…against ' _rea-jû_ ' like yourselves."

The three girls stared at her in shock. Kaoru turned to Chisame in confusion. "Ah, Chisame- _chan_ , what's a ' _rea-jû_ '?"

"H-hold it…" Chisame begged, pinching at the bridge of her nose. "You've gotta be kidding me…."

"It's a Jew that comes from behind, isn't it?" Riza said.

"No!" snapped Chisame. "It's internet slang, short for ' _real-jûjitsu_ ', referring to people whose life in the real world is completely fulfilling. It's not very well-defined, as it's usually an epithet internet-absorbed people use for those people they despise who live in the 'real world', but it usually is thought of as a person with a happy marriage and family, good relationships with friends, a well-paying, fulfilling job, and stuff like that."

She whirled on Ryoko. "But hold it, Asakura! Konoe and Asakaze might fit that description, but I certainly don't! I basically spend my whole life cooped up in front of my computer screen, living my life on the internet while despising every moment I'm not there! I'm practically the ultimate dictionary example of a NON-' _rea-jû_ '! I'm the right wing extreme of that culture, and hell, I'm proud of it!"

"So you say," Ryoko said happily. "But on the inside, aren't you actually rather satisfied with this life you have right now?"

The words hit her like a megaton hammer. She turned away and crouched on the ground, hugging her knees with one arm and writing in the dirt with a finger. "N-no…I can't be…I'm not a brainless idiot like Konoe or Asakaze…it can't be…this is some kind of trap…."

"Oh, c'mon, is this something to be so depressed about?" Riza laughed.

"Ch-Chisame- _chan_ …are you okay? That's actually…kinda insulting…" Kaoru managed.

"Oh, don't worry," Ryoko said. She was suddenly holding a vicious-looking knife in one hand, and happily fingered the point of the blade. "Even though Cosmo Entelecheia doesn't work on you, I do have other means of taking you down…."

This completely commanded their attention. All three called on their artifacts. "W-what are we doing!?" Chisame screeched. "We can't fight! I, especially, am no use in combat…!"

"Don't count us out!" Riza demanded.

"That's right!" Kaoru added. "Our artifacts are good for battle!"

"Oh, how cute," Ryoko said, cupping one cheek as she observed their transformed 'battle costumes' they assumed with the summoning of their artifacts. "But even so…you can't really expect a couple of novices to stand against someone such as myself. I've already sealed this space…there are no reinforcements coming. No one else can come and help you. This is the end of the line for you people."

"T-that's not true!" Kaoru shouted.

Chisame glanced over at the Master Key, lying by the sleeping Nodoka. _('If I can figure out how to use that, then maybe….')_ She leapt for it.

It vanished before her hands closed on it. She whirled back in fright, and saw it appear in Ryoko's other hand. "Oh, dear me…even if it is just a little toy, it's too dangerous for little children like you. This needs to go back to its proper owner." She raised it above her head, opened her hand, and let the staff vanish.

Kaoru stared in fear, then turned to her slumbering teacher. "Kain- _kun_ , you have to get a grip! You didn't beat that inner demon just to fall asleep now, did you!? Without you, she'll beat us all!"

"I'm afraid Kain- _sensei_ is the most hopeless case," Ryoko informed her. "The greater the tragedy and loss someone suffers, the greater the darkness and void in their heart…and the harder it is to escape Cosmo Entelecheia."

 _('This girl…doesn't get Kain-_ sensei _at all,')_ Chisame thought desperately. _('If he were the kind of person who gave in to despair that easily…I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place!')_

"So, you three…please die now!" Ryoko asked, still quite cheerfully, still with that beatific smile on her face.

She dashed forward, moving far faster than Kaoru and Riza (and Chisame) could react to, that knife lancing for Kaoru's chest…and stopped.

Kain wasn't lying on the ground anymore. He was standing just at Ryoko's flank, his hand reaching across her body, gripping her outstretched wrist. Ryoko looked back at him in shock, her angelic smile having finally fled for the first time since her appearance. "Sorry," Kain said with a small smile of his own. "I kept you girls waiting."

"Impossible…" Ryoko breathed. She forced her arm over to make a slash with the knife, but Kain blocked it with his other arm. A fierce kick caused a collision of powers and sent Ryoko retreating back a good pace.

8-8-8

The Master Key went largely unnoticed as it appeared in front of the Prince, save by that man, who calmly took possession of it. His minions were focused on their stations, computers, and monitors.

"The signals have returned to the hangar…they've all come back!" Yayoi announced. "Shall I…bring up the image, Eminus- _sama_?"

"Go ahead," replied her master.

The image appeared…and they all stared at the standoff between Ryoko and Kain, crackling with energy. The Obsidian Prince narrowed his eyes. "Impossible…Kain Lockeheart, of all people, was able to escape from Cosmo Entelecheia…? How troublesome…."

"I see…I smell Yuki- _chan_ on you," Ryoko murmured. "Did she help you escape from there? Or perhaps that demonic life you now carry enabled you to ignore your mortal sentiments…or perhaps both…."

"Does it matter?" Kain shot back with a smile. "You can't stop me with pretty lights and colors. You've awoken a slumbering dragon. I'm going to smash Cosmo Entelecheia, the Replication Engine, and the Obsidian Heart. I'm going to defeat Pakrov Eminus and the Obsidian Prince. I'm going to get back everything you've stolen from me—Mai, and Kalan Lockeheart, and Aeli Kanna, too. Do you hear that, Eminus? I'm coming for you."

Somewhat shocked, Ellis glanced over at Eminus…and saw the merest hint of a smile cross over his face.

"Oh, dear…I'm afraid I can't allow you to go any further," Ryoko said, her smile returning. "So I'll have to get rid of you here. Goodbye."

She appeared instantly behind Kain, her knife coming towards him…but again she was stopped, this time by a shorter, far slenderer figure with short purple hair, glasses, and purple eyes hidden behind the lenses. Yuki held the blade of the knife in her hand. Not without harm—blood started running down her hand, but she held it without apparent concern. With a twist and a shove, she threw Ryoko back. "This is inappropriate, Ryoko. Your assignment is as my backup. We are not to interfere in mortal politics, even those involving magic."

"Yuki- _chan_ …don't be silly. You must know…I've received different orders from my own master. What about you? I can tell you helped Kain- _sensei_ with Cosmo Entelecheia. Did you receive orders to stop me?"

Yuki remained silent. "You didn't, did you? So why are you going against me? There's no reason for you to interfere…this new magical world is of benefit to us all…."

"I have not received any orders not to stop you," Yuki replied. "I am left to my own devices, my own choices. I…want to be of help to my class. I won't let you hurt any of them."

"Y-Yuki- _chan_ …?" Kaoru muttered. "Is that…really you, Yuki- _chan_ …?"

"I shouldn't be surprised by anything anymore," Chisame muttered. "I mean, okay, Yuki was perhaps the most suspicious of all our classmates, but still…."

"That's all very well and noble, Yuki- _chan_ , but you're far too late," Ryoko said. "Even if Kain- _sensei_ , against all odds, destroys the Obsidian Star, their work has already come too far along. The seven worlds are spiraling towards a collision because of their actions. Even if everything they're doing ceases here, in a hundred years' time the seven worlds will meet…even more catastrophically than the Obsidian Star is trying to engineer." She turned back to Kain. "Did you realize that, Kain- _sensei_? Are you sure you want to abandon your ideal reality for a world that is doomed to destruction?"

"W-what!?" Chisame screeched. "I-is this true, Kain- _sensei_!?"

Kain smiled. "Yes…it's true. I've already worked it all out. We talked about it with Kurt Gödel last night. This is the big, terrible final secret…that, in effect, the Obsidian Star has already won. Even if we succeed, we're doomed. But it's all right. There are ways to counter this effect. I've already worked it all out. I have a plan…all seven worlds will be saved, and continue to live on as individual worlds. There will be no union, nor collision. But first I have to defeat the Obsidian Star."

"R-really!? As you say, the first we heard about it at all was last night! When did you have time to come up with such a brilliant plan!? You've spent most of the time since in the enemy's clutches!"

"Oh, I've thought about it for a long time. I've known the state of this world. This latest debacle is accelerating things, but I already took that into account. There's nothing wrong with my calculations."

 _('T-this kid…he really is a monster…no matter how you slice it, he's really inhuman….')_

"A brilliant plan…it might be interesting to see such a thing," Ryoko stated. "But even so, I've already cast my lot…you won't live to be able to attempt it…."

She made a gesture, causing wreckage around the room to suddenly fly at Kain at high speed, but even before he could defend himself, Yuki was standing next to him, and created a shield to block them all with a wave of her hand. "You should go, Kain- _sensei_ ," Yuki stated. "You have your own duties. Asakura Ryoko is my backup; I will deal with her."

"Well, but everyone else…" Kain began.

"Your companions are recovering, even now." Yuki glanced back at him, still expressionless, stone-faced. "I may have altered the code in Cosmo Entelecheia to more easily allow them to escape."

Yes, one by one, the fallen party members were slowly rising. Many of them seemed disappointed or embarrassed, or both; even Jade seemed to be avoiding people's gazes. "Oi," Lina muttered, almost angrily. "This is…?"

"Well, then…" Kain muttered. "Everyone! Let's get going!"

"I can't let you!" Ryoko began.

Yuki appeared behind her, grabbing her around the waist. She chanted something, speaking at supersonic speed, her actual words completely inaudible to the mortals around her, but there was an instant effect…the ground broke open and Ryoko and Yuki both disappeared into it.

Kain glanced briefly after them, then encouraged everyone forward. "Let's go! Into the palace proper!"

Spurred on, they all finished picking themselves up and finally, after all the distractions, moved through the door and into the Obsidian Palace proper…and, as Kain cast a few spells, the vision granted to the Obsidian Prince and his force was cut off.

"W-what about Kamo- _kun_?" Nodoka quavered as they moved on. "H-he's gone…he's not…."

"I think Asakura- _san_ used a kind of banishing spell on him when she put the rest of us into Cosmo Entelecheia," Kain explained. "When he recovers from it…he'll be able to join us. We can't worry about him right now…he's an immortal spirit of magic. He'll catch up. We need to hurry."

8-8-8

The Prince chuckled as the monitors went dead. "Well…they certainly aren't making this dull. I am tiring...I must prepare myself for the final encounter. Eminus…you and the ladies should prepare yourselves. They are moving right into our trap…at that point, dealing with them is up to you."

"Up to us?" Winfield questioned. "Even…Kain- _kun_? I thought you needed his body…."

"Demonic taint failed. Even Cosmo Entelecheia failed. It must be broken to be of use…if it ever can be. But it's fine…with the powers brought by Van Grants, we can replicate a new body, a copy of Kain Lockeheart, that will be perfect for my next vessel. Even if that body cannot endure my presence permanently, the power will enable me to live perpetually by building a replacement when necessary. But now, I must rest…after I return this."

He rose to the ceiling, floating in the air; a large black globe, largely unnoticed by those below until this time, unveiled its shadow suddenly, revealing a massive crystal underneath it. Within the crystal…was Mai, dressed in a dress similar to that she wore when Kalan first recovered her. The Prince released the staff, and it floated through the crystal to rest in front of Mai. "Now, when I awaken…I expect to hear good news." And he vanished.

Eminus nodded and turned for the door. "Ready yourselves. Our most important task…lies before us."

F I N

 _Author's Note: Character Re-Introduction: Yuki Nagato & Ryoko Asakura_

 _Wow, it's time to go back to something I haven't done for a while: explaining the raison d'être of this universe. Part of the reason I made this whole story is that I had a collection of anime/manga females I was particularly fond of. And since this was a story featuring a bevy of females, I decided to play the 'character crossover' card and replace most of that class (and most of the other female characters in the story) with some of my favorite female characters. I first worked places for that all-important top twelve and then filled in the rest of the characters as I thought they fit/wanted to put them in._

 _Yuki Nagato came in as number 9 in the author's big list, which made including her in the story a necessity. I had two Yukis to choose from, actually: the original Yuki, a robotic 'human interface', 'alien witch' created to observe Haruhi Suzumiya, or the persona created for The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, where Yuki is a shy, timid bibliophile with a crush on Kyon. Both archetypes tend to be my favorites, and both—probably because of that—already saturated this work. I had Nodoka and Kazumi already in the latter, and several more possibilities I was considering, while I had Rei Ayanami and Miyu Greer in the former. I finally elected to keep her original persona, as it fit in well as a replacement for this specific section: Zazie Rainyday. Zazie is the most mysterious and strange member of the original class, with almost no screen time; what little we see of her before this event shows that she is a nearly mute character (one little scenario, which I used in Act 14's prologue, shows her calling Iinchô while the class has been left with Negi in Wales and telling her about the news at the school; Iinchô has a spirited conversation with her, astounding the listening class members who can't hear Zazie's side of things) who was an acrobat with a local circus. She also had the ability to summon strange creatures, demonic shadow blobs with masks for faces that resembled creatures like Ziegram or things from some of the weirder Miyazaki movies (yeah, Spirited Away's Noh Faces are probably what they're based on). There was no explanation for her up to this point, when the class invades the 'Gravekeeper's Palace' (Original Obsidian Palace Equivalent) and finds…Zazie waiting for them, who puts them in the Cosmo Entelecheia, as shown here, using an artifact card (it never reveals who the master is). I shifted a few things for my personal preference, but it was largely as shown here, with a little more_ ecchi _comedy elements (in Negi's dream, after he freezes it, Zazie explains it to him and shows him an example of his class' visions: Setsuna waking up and Konoka cooking breakfast for her, naked-apron style. Zazie kills it quickly with a 'Perhaps that was an inappropriate example'. I thought about doing something similar; it would have been a great Hayate channel to have Kajirô or Miki fantasize about being in a world with Hinagiku as his/her own love, in a semi-_ ecchi _/intimate scene, then having Yuki cancel it quickly and say 'Actually, we shouldn't be intruding in that, it's private' and Kain thinking, very Hayate-like, 'Then why did you show it in the first place!?') In the original, Chisame and gymnast Makie Sasaki are the only ones to escape the Cosmo Entelecheia. We then find out that the second 'Zazie', the one who did this to them, is actually their Zazie's older sister, and they are both full 'demonfolk', the Negima equivalent of_ mazoku _._

 _Yuki, in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, is a robotic, logical, withdrawn bibliophile, very mysterious and inscrutable, and I thought that worked well to take the Zazie role. It works even better because she is a humanoid interface created by the (one translation of the technical name) Data Integration Thought Entity, watching over mankind (particularly Haruhi Suzumiya). All I had to do was adapt her to the magical world instead of a Star Trek-like super thought space alien culture. This 'version' of mana, being able to aggregate into intelligences, meshes well with ideas and worlds of magic I've used previously, like the Magiverse. She has, like Zazie, made a few small marks before, but now she gets to actually reveal herself, showing up to help the class. Well, but this isn't her first revelation…we saw pieces of it during the Festival, and of course this Yuki appeared to Kain in his inner world to help him take the final step he needed._

 _Using Yuki in this role also allowed Ryoko Asakura to slide into the role of the older sister. Ryoko, like Yuki, is a humanoid interface of the D.I.T.E., albeit one who fits in with humans much more easily. However, she decides that she is not content to merely observe. The D.I.T.E. has put their hopes in Haruhi Suzumiya and her ability to 'create data' (i.e., alter reality), and believe that her power can help to solve their own stagnated evolution, but they are also cautious, and wish to observe her for the time being. However, Ryoko (and her master/faction) want to speed things along and see what she can/will do, and so she decides that by killing Kyon, whom Haruhi has chosen, they can prompt her to act and make use of her power in some way. Yuki, however, although she shows no human emotions, has grown fond of Kyon, and she arrives to save his life and erase Ryoko. Like I had her do here, Ryoko in the original anime liked to go after her victims with a little knife…._

 _Anyway, her purpose and desires are similar here. The Magical Thought Entity consists of spirits of magic whose evolved intelligence and power has restricted them to the magical plane; they cannot exist outside of a world of pure magic, so they created humanoid interfaces to observe these mortal realms, simply to satiate their curiosity. However, Ryoko and her master/faction have decided to take it a step further: by aiding the Obsidian Star, they can create a new plane of existence of higher magic, one they could potentially even visit (although this was not expressly stated in the text, that's the actual reasoning). But Yuki wants to defend her teacher, even her whole class, and acts in their behalf. In the original, Zazie merely acted as a guide for Negi and didn't get directly involved, and Mana Tatsumiya, the shrine maiden gun-toting mercenary girl, takes on the older sister, revealing herself as a half-demonfolk. But for me, replaying the Yuki vs. Ryoko fight (which we will see in more detail later, perhaps next Act) is too good to pass up._

 _Now, we're going to have some flashbacks and thought processes setting the stage for our final battles as our heroes infiltrate the palace…prepare for the 'sympathy for the devil' card…._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Five: Pakrov Eminus

Eminus sat in a chair by a window, staring out at the clouds. His elbow was leaning on the windowsill, with his cheek resting on his fist. He was far more pensive than he was used to feeling…the oncoming struggle….

A blade suddenly streaked in, burying itself into the wall right between Eminus' wrist and chin. This left the blade mere inches from his throat, but Eminus hardly seemed bothered by it. "Did you need something from me, Kinue?" he asked blandly, a bemused look crossing his face as he rose slightly from his slouched posture.

Kinue, on the other end of the aggressive sword, smiled down at her master. "Well, you know, I was just thinking…considering we're just about to start a major battle here, you're acting awfully out of it. I couldn't help feeling a little intrigued…or, rather, concerned. Did something happen with Kain- _kun_ to prompt this melancholy?"

Eminus didn't reply, but instead glanced over at Kinue, a stern expression on his face. A new, dangerous look, something clearly inhuman, suddenly crept into Kinue's eyes. "It seemed that you were disappointed when Kain- _kun_ was claimed by the Obsidian Prince, taking him out of your reach. Now, through circumstance, he's open for you to take him again…or so it seemed. Has something akin to compassion taken over Eminus- _kun_ 's heart…?"

Eminus sighed, closing his eyes. "Kinue, if this is all you have to say, then…."

"Well, as long as this doesn't affect your fighting ability…."

Kinue suddenly slashed her blade across, cleanly through Eminus' neck, slicing apart the wall all around him as well. "…Then I suppose it hardly matters!" she finished cheerfully.

Eminus' head went sailing through the air, then hit the ground by Kinue's feet…slamming with a leaden clunk. _A statue?_ Kinue thought in shock.

"I myself am nothing but an incomplete doll," Eminus stated from behind the girl. "I do my work and follow my orders regardless of the circumstances. If that means killing Kain- _kun_ , then I will do so. If it means sparing his life, that will be what I do. Do not presume to toy with my emotions; I have no heart."

"Is that right?" Kinue smirked, her eyes once again seeming normal as she glanced back over her shoulder at the childlike elemental. Then she suddenly stepped back a good distance, readying a defensive stance with one sword high and one low. "I don't think I've ever seen an expression like that on your face. It looks like your heart is wavering…just the way I like it." She giggled. "Do you not realize it yourself? For the first time…I feel like I might have an interest in you, Eminus- _kun_. There's no value in slicing up a wooden doll, but slicing up a human…that is a different matter entirely. And right now, Eminus- _kun_ , you look awfully worth slicing up to me…."

Eminus stared at her. Suddenly eleven large swords of black stone materialized in the air around him. "…That man, Aiden Rylack, said something rather similar," mused the golem. "Very well, Kinue…if this is your wish, then I'll oblige you. The Obsidian Palace is large, after all, and even with Luana likely guiding them we have some time to kill while they muddle through the lower levels of this place." The eleven stone swords suddenly came whirling in at Kinue, and Eminus followed after them in an aggressive charge.

Kinue's eyes widened, but her swords flashed, and the blades coming at her all fell to pieces. " _Tetsuteiryû_ is an adaptation of _Shinmeiryû_ , made to combat golems, demons, and every other weapon mages would use against our vampire masters. It can slice through the hardest steel, so you can't think stone weapons would be an impediment for me…."

As she spoke, she whirled on Eminus as he tried to flank her, but as her blade came towards him, it suddenly impacted against a wall of sand. "I am the Eminus of Earth," the boy said flatly. "Do not think that stone is the limit of my powers." Then the sand came racing in towards Kinue, seeking to slice her with the rushing cloud.

Kinue bounced away acrobatically in retreat. "Hahaha! Good point! Slicing up sand doesn't accomplish much! Still…the way you're acting clearly isn't normal. Even I can see that it's very unlike you. No heart, you say? Don't you think it's about time that you be honest with yourself?"

Eminus' stare intensified into a slight glare, and the sand began to shape up into solid swords again. "Tell me that it isn't Kain- _kun_ ," Kinue teased him. Wordlessly, Eminus sent the blades flying in again, and this time they buried themselves in the girl.

Then the body vanished, a sliced human-shaped slip of paper in its place. _('_ Shikigami… _an_ Onmyôdôjutsu bunshin _…?')_ And suddenly his left arm became separated at the elbow as Kinue flashed by him. "You see?" Kinue teased as she alighted behind him. "I was right on the mark!"

 _('She actually penetrated my defenses….')_ "Very impressive, Kinue…."

"Remember what I said earlier… _Tetsuteiryû_ is focused on cutting down anything a mage might use to threaten a vampire. Sand and stone and even magical barriers are meaningless before my blade…. And for the record…there's no use in trying to hide your infatuation from me. I could hardly overlook something I love so much."

"Infatuation…? What are you talking about…?"

Kinue laughed, long, melodiously. "How positively adorable! I feel like a caring mother looking down on her infant child, just beginning to develop its own identity. But very well…if this is how things are…." Kinue suddenly turned and started to walk away from the youthful elemental. "…Then I'll just have to take that boy for myself. I trust you will have no problem with that…?"

Eminus stood there, frozen, for a long moment. "Kinue…that is not acceptable."

Kinue stopped and glanced back at him with an innocent smile. "Hmm?"

Kinue's mocking expression was replaced by frozen shock as the power snapped out…and the double rows of pillars behind her collapsed, slashed into ribbons by Eminus' expression of power. She ducked beneath the blast as the wall in front of them also blew out from Eminus' attack. Outside, the warriors battling saw one of the towers on the palace collapse and wondered if the invasion force had penetrated that far already….

"I shall be his opponent," Eminus informed the girl threateningly.

Kinue, a warped and twisted creature who delighted in death, did not often feel fear, but now her nerves were on singing edge as she slowly rose, red-faced, smiling at Eminus despite everything, laughing raggedly. "It would seem you are finally being a little more honest with yourself. That's exactly what I'm talking about! Humans should always be honest with themselves, you know! At any rate, it's good to see that you're back on form! That's the Eminus- _kun_ I know and love! Bye-bye, now!" And she vanished.

Eminus stared after her for several long moments. Then he turned and glanced over as Ellis, Fyuria, Yayoi and Elaine came hurrying through the residual dust. "Eminus- _sama_!" Ellis cried. "Are you all right!? What's happened up here!? Is it the enemy…!?" She finally got a good look at her master…and freaked out when she saw his missing limb. "Eminus- _sama_! What happened to your arm!?"

"Nothing in particular," Eminus murmured.

"What do you mean, 'Nothing in particular'!? Your arm…it's gone! We've got to take care of it…! Where is it…!?"

Elaine swiftly found the missing arm while Eminus continued, "There's no need to worry…it will reattach itself easily…."

"That's not the issue here!" Fyuria barked. "How did you lose it, anyway!? Did the enemy penetrate this far or something…!?"

"You're our leader…you have to take care of yourself," Yayoi pleaded as she and Ellis prepared to exercise their healing magic on him.

Eminus stared at them…then took his arm with his other hand and started using the hand on the stricken limb to pet Yayoi's head. This action greatly startled and disturbed the girl, and Ellis began to berate him: "This is no time for jokes, Eminus- _sama_!"

"Is…Eminus- _sama_ attempting physical humor…?" Elaine wondered.

"Is that supposed to be _funny_?" Fyuria muttered.

Eminus relented to their care, and as his inhuman arm was reattached—as he had said, it was easily accomplished—he stared at the girls, recalling the circumstances of their meeting….

8-8-8

 _["…So, why are we here?" Fyuria asked._

 _She, Luana, and Ellis were beside Eminus as they walked through the high-elevation forest._

 _"Kalovus said there was something interesting in this area," Eminus replied. "These mountains are rumored to be full of hidden villages, lost to the knowledge of the rest of the world…Nagi said that it was near here that Kalan Lockeheart received that magic cloak of his…."_

 _"We might as well take a look," Luana said cheerfully. "This village we're looking for will almost certainly be interesting…."_

 _Eminus stopped, tensing slightly, and glanced over…and a young woman stumbled out of the bushes. She inspected her clothes, first—quite a task, really. The woman had long black hair, swept behind her by a thick ribbon across the top of her head, and wore a very heavy and exquisite_ kimono _, with two huge, elaborate ribbons tied around the front of her waist. After a brief inspection, she finally noticed the travelers in front of her and started. "O-oh! Hello there…I didn't see you." She bowed to them. "I am Yayoi of Yamato."_

 _Luana giggled slightly. "How preciously innocent! They must not get many visitors, but she carelessly greets us as if we just met in the street." As Yayoi looked up at her quizzically, quite confused, she continued, "Well, I am Luana, and these are Fyuria-_ chan _and Ellis-_ chan _, and our leader, Eminus-_ sama _. We're actually a little lost…Yamato would be your village, then?"_

 _"Ah, yes! It's not far from here. I've never seen anyone from outside Yamato before…would you like me to take you to the village?"_

 _"I guess that's the point," Fyuria muttered._

 _"If you would, please," Ellis said. "We're weary, and we would like a safe place to rest in our travels."_

 _"Very well, then; follow me!"_

 _She led them to the village, and they immediately met the village elder. The other villagers were somewhat frightened and suspicious of the newcomers, but they graciously accepted the group as Yayoi served as their primary guide and host. During the travel, and again that evening at the village at and after dinner, Ellis and Luana chatted easily with Yayoi. She eagerly asked them many things about the outside world, which they were quite content to answer. They, for their part, questioned her on her status, and found that she was the_ miko _for the village, a servant of the village's guardian god._

 _"Guardian god?" Fyuria questioned._

 _"Yes. He keeps our village hidden and protected from evil. The_ miko _gives her life to him to ensure the continued prosperity of the village…."_

 _"Gives her life to him?" Ellis muttered. "I'm not sure…I like the sound of that…."_

 _"Oh, but it's fine!" Yayoi assured her. "It's the purpose of the_ miko _…she exists only for the sake of the village…."_

 _Eminus had spent most of the day in silence, but he suddenly offered at this point: "How interesting. It sounds as if you yourself aren't fully convinced of that."_

 _Yayoi stared at him. She looked away, not meeting his gaze. "No…it's…what's required…."_

 _The young man kept his gaze on her, then stood suddenly. "I think I should like to see this 'guardian god'," he stated._

 _"You absolutely can't!" the village elder burst out, suddenly storming into the house—as Fyuria dryly noted, obviously he had been waiting at the door. "It is forbidden! None but the_ miko _may approach the sacred cave of our deity, or the whole village will be cursed!"_

 _"And how often does the_ miko _return from visiting the guardian god?" Ellis demanded scathingly._

 _The man cast down his eyes. "I-I know what you must be thinking…but it is part of the tradition…the god provides rain and success with our crops…it keeps the village protected and safe…in return, once per generation the_ miko _, the young maiden with the greatest spiritual powers, sacrifices herself to it…."_

 _"Ridiculous," Fyuria growled. "That's pathetic!" As the elder stared at her in fear and shock, she continued, "No benevolent deity would demand a live human sacrifice. You're going to ask Yayoi here to give her life because of your ancient superstition? Humans really can be idiots…."_

 _"It is forbidden for other villagers to visit the deity," Eminus said easily. "We don't wish to cause too much trouble…but we would like to verify the truth of your protector. There is nothing about outsiders being forbidden, right? I can tell from the atmosphere of the village and Yayoi's own demeanor that the time of her sacrifice is soon to come. We shall escort her to the guardian god…and if everything is as you say, we'll simply take our leave and let your village alone. But if we find that there is something amiss…we will take matters into our own hands."_

 _Luana turned back to Yayoi. "This is really your decision, Yayoi-_ chan _. It's your life, after all. Do you mind if we accompany you?"_

 _Yayoi was silent for a moment. "I've always…tried to be a proper_ miko _…I never regretted being chosen…but I…I don't want to be selfish, but I have wondered…if it's really for the sake of the village, then I will gladly give my life…but I don't want to lose it for a lie…."_

 _The elder sighed and lowered his eyes. "Obviously…I don't have the power to oppose you…do as you will…."_

 _"We'll depart now, and get this over with," Eminus said. "We'll return shortly."_

 _It was a short distance to the cave, and they traveled accompanied by an additional member after Ellis summoned Borgnine to their side as well. They felt the power emanating out from it immediately. "Well," Fyuria said, "the 'guardian god' exists; now, what is the truth of its nature?"_

 _They entered the cave. Borgnine growled low. "This feeling…."_

 _"You can sense it, Borgnine?" Ellis asked her guardian._

 _"Yes," the bestial creature rumbled. "It is a creature not of this world…one of my true kin."_

 _"True…kin?" Yayoi queried almost fearfully._

 _"Borgnine is a spirit bound to Ellis, from one of the astral planes connected to this mortal realm," Eminus explained. "Neither Infernal, nor Celestial, but akin to both, and almost an elemental. If this 'guardian god' is a true kin, then it hails from the same plane that he does…."_

 _"Such a creature would certainly enjoy feasting on the magical and spiritual powers of a talented_ miko _," Luana observed. "The real question is: does it actually possess the power to prosper the village and maintain its fortune as their tradition contends?"_

 _There was a rumbling, bestial laugh. "Of course not," the creature rasped as it formed, large, semi-upright with a slouched hunchback. It was larger than human, even larger than Borgnine, and its already great size was underscored by its oversized features, including massive claw-like forearms nearly the size of its torso and a huge, broad, almost reptilian head of nearly equal size. It gazed across the group with its bright, multi-faceted eyes. "Gullible humans will always believe in powers they do not understand. They hope for the truth they wish, and fear retribution for failure, and never question it. Finding this tiny isolated village in this mana-rich land was a stroke of luck for me. They continually offer me the proper sacrifices…as they've done today. A little early…and with bonuses…but you will all be fine meals for me after I've devoured you…."_

 _"Fat chance, you overgrown lizard," breathed Fyuria as she and her fellows all readied for combat, Luana stepping pointedly and protectively in front of Yayoi._

 _Suddenly Eminus, as calm and collected as ever, took a step forward. "Stay back, all of you. I'll deal with this myself."_

 _"Eh?" Ellis objected. "But, Eminus-_ sama _…."_

 _Eminus turned back to gaze authoritatively at her, and with a chuckle the monster leapt at him. "Don't turn your back on me, you arrogant little brat…!"_

 _Eminus glanced back at the beast, and three stone spears suddenly shot from the ground to impale it. It gasped out in pain and shock and trembled as it stared down at its supposed prey. "W-what…are you…?"_

 _"Nothing of consequence," Eminus stated flatly, and gestured. Six swords of stone flew in from multiple angles, piercing it still further, and with a groan it dissolved into nothing._

 _"Well," Luana said brightly. "So much for the 'guardian god'. I guess we should head back to Yamato to apologize?"_

 _Yayoi was quiet, numbed, the whole way back. The elder was waiting near the edge of the village and gathered all he needed to from the sight of the party. "So…it's over then? Y-you…you've killed our guardian god?"_

 _"It was no god, but a greedy spirit that was taking advantage of your village all these generations," Ellis said flatly. "There was never any protection over this village…just a deceitful edict for sacrifice. It's over now. You must rely on yourselves and your_ miko _to protect the village."_

 _"Yes…but about that," Luana said suddenly. "We really should take Yayoi-_ chan _with us when we leave."_

 _She was observed by most in shock, but Eminus suddenly offered, "It will be difficult for Yayoi to be accepted by the village now…the village's traditional sacrifice and supposed deity both being destroyed will be hard to accept. But since that tradition has continued for generations…they were expecting to be without their primary_ miko _anyway. It is best for all parties if the last memory of the old traditions departs, and the new_ miko _can give the village a fresh start."_

 _The elder was silent a few moments, then said, "Yes…that is probably for the best. It is…so shocking to have our world changed in this way, but…in time, this change will probably be good for the village."_

 _Luana turned to the shocked and silent Yayoi. "This is your life we're discussing, Yayoi-_ chan _…what do you think about this? Would you like to travel the outside world with us and see what lies out there?"_

 _After a few more seconds, Yayoi cast her eyes down as she mused over this question. "I…I think I really would," she finally murmured. "I've wondered…about the outside world for a long time…but I could not abandon the village and my duties for something like that. Now…as Eminus-_ sama _says, the village…this changes everything for us. If I won't be a burden, I would love to come with you…."_

 _Fyuria sighed. "Well, if Eminus-_ sama _is making the offer, we certainly can't refuse you." Then her face softened and she smiled slightly. "You'd be more than welcome with us, in that case."_

 _They stayed the night at the village, and early the next morning they departed, with little fanfare and few people to send them off, but it was probably for the best. As they traveled, Yayoi became more and more used to the group._

 _"So…where are we going?" she finally asked Eminus one evening._

 _"For now, we are going to visit some of the civilized lands, travel there for a while," Eminus explained. "Once you become used to it and find a place you are comfortable with, we will set you up and leave you there so that you can live your life as you like."_

 _Yayoi stared at him in shock. "Eh…you mean…I can't continue traveling with you? I can't stay…with all of you?"_

 _"It would be best for you in you didn't. We aren't heroes who saved your life, Yayoi. Ours was no meeting of destiny. It was all a simple coincidence, and we saved your life simply because we could. We are villains, however…this world can see us as nothing else. Ellis, Luana, Fyuria, and the rest…they are people of this world who have taken to following me, but I am not of this world. I am from another plane…and my people are, for all intents and purposes, trying to destroy this world. You do not want to be a part of this."_

 _Yayoi stared at him for several long moments. "That's…strange…I can hardly comprehend the things you're talking about. For me, until now…the village was my world. I couldn't even understand what all this means. But what I do know…is that you did save my life. You may say you're a villain, but…you people can't be completely evil. You have…special qualities, and all of you are already special to me. I won't leave you…I'll stay with you as long as I can, and help you however I can. If it 'destroys' this world…then I'll have faith that it will work out for the best. I'll have faith in you. There is little else for me to have faith in right now…."]_

8-8-8

Eminus stared at Yayoi as she and Ellis finished their work. "Yayoi," he said suddenly, startling the girl. "You've only been with us for a year, but you have been loyal, and you've been a great aid to us…to me. Thank you. I'm truly grateful to you."

This brought the room into stunned silence. Eminus was never truly rude, but neither was he exceptionally polite…he had never bothered with the niceties of social interaction, the 'please', the 'thank you', apologies or usual greetings. It was the inhuman part of his nature, and it was something they all understood and accepted. This was the first moment that any of them had heard him thank anyone.

"W-what d-do you mean, E-Eminus- _sama_?" Yayoi quavered in shock. "T-there is no need…to thank me…!"

"The rest of you as well," Eminus continued quietly, passing over her protests. "You have supported me and aided me all this time…thank you all. And now I have something to ask all of you. Now that the moment is here…the Crystal Princess is in our hands, the merging has begun, and the battle with the enemy's last line of defense will soon begin. Now that we are at this point…do any of you have any regrets?"

The girls steeled their resolve and almost snapped to attention. "No, Eminus- _sama_!" they said in unison. "You have given us a reason to live," Ellis continued. "Our sorrow over the means is overcome by our faith in the promise of what is to come. We are fighting…to end all suffering and mortal pain."

"We consider ourselves quite fortunate," Elaine added. "To have received all this…to be here at this place…there is nothing to regret. We carry the weight of the responsibility of all those thousands and tens of thousands who were not as fortunate as ourselves."

"If we can create a world where there won't be any others like us, it is all worth it," Fyuria said. "And we certainly aren't going to lose to a bunch of little schoolgirls from the old world!"

Eminus smiled slightly. "Very well. Let us prepare. Our battle begins soon."

While the ladies ran off to prepare themselves, Eminus began to ascend towards the control room. _('Yes,')_ he thought, _('I have no doubts. I am but a puppet, a tool created for the purpose of serving my master, the Obsidian Prince, and realizing his goals. But…Kinue…there is, perhaps, some truth in what you say. Kain-_ kun _…right now, you alone…to battle with you is my one desire….')_

8-8-8

 _[He opened his eyes…for the first time. He sat up. His mind embraced the sensations flooding into him, compared it to the information already residing in his brain. He glanced over at the elderly man standing attentively at his elbow, hunched over with age, with a thin, wrinkled face, small round spectacles, and a thin, wispy mustache. "Father," he acknowledged the figure._

 _The old man chuckled. "Yes…Pakrov Eminus, my fourth child. My masterpiece. You are the last hope of the Obsidian Star."_

 _Pakrov Eminus rose from his place of repose, the capsule-like sleeping fixture which had been his 'womb', and kneeled before his creator. "I am honored…to be the hope of something so glorious. To be born with a purpose, with power and ability to accomplish it…I am the most fortunate being in existence. Tell me, my father, what I can do to aid the source of my creation…."_

 _"The Obsidian Star—the world from which we have come to this place—will only last another twenty or twenty-five years, and that's if we do nothing more with it. Our great plan to claim this world for our permanent, eternal home has failed, and our prince has been slain…we have been harried and hunted, and only a half-dozen true creatures of the Obsidian Star still exist in this world. Our only hope is to develop a new plan. Most of the groundwork we have laid is still in place. We will have to make corrections…the Crystal Princess is lost to us, but if we recover one who possesses that same bloodline, we may be able to salvage it."_

 _"Another of the bloodline," murmured Pakrov. "You are referring…to Aeli Kanna. The humans of this world crucified one of their champions and painted her as a villainess." He smiled mirthlessly at the injustice and terrible irony of the thought as he processed the information that had been loaded into his mind before his birth. "But her death was falsified…now she belongs to that scourge, Kalan Lockeheart. Yes, taking her…shall be a cruel form of justice…."_

 _"This is your task," his creator agreed. "Go, and retrieve her. This shall be the first step in our rebuilding."_

 _Pakrov turned and departed the crude cave that served as the lair for the last survivors of the Obsidian Star. Eminus, the scientist, the creator, watched his final masterpiece go, then turned and walked over to the other side of the chamber and picked up a necklace, a black-red orb of shining, opaque stone on a simple rope cord. "Don't worry, my Prince," he murmured. "Soon…we will rise again…."_

8-8-8

 _It was a modest little home, near the outskirts of Halie…modest, at least, by the standards of someone of Kalan's influence and a princess' sensibilities, a five-bedroom, two-story building with extraneous amenities. And Aeli quite enjoyed it; for her, it was a greater abode than any she had previously enjoyed._

 _Mira stood beaming at her as she put the sleeping infant down in his little crib. "He's a precious child, for certain," Mira assured her. "The two of you must be proud…."_

 _"That, and more…and relieved, now that he's quiet," giggled Aeli. "Now, we better get things ready for the boys…they should be home soon."_

 _"I'm grateful that Allen is getting ready to leave," Mira said wistfully. Then she started as she realized how her comment might sound. "Oh, n-not that I object to his company! It's just…he really should have followed his own heart…."_

 _"A late start is better than none," Aeli said with another giggle. "I understand. Well, in any case…."_

 _Then she froze, falling to silence as the chill ran up her spine. The feel of the power approaching, the scream of the spirits whispering to her…she knew its like immediately, a terror she had not felt in more than five years…._

 _"Mira…take Kain and go," she whispered. "Head down to Uncle Harold's." Mira looked at her in shock, but even as she opened her mouth to wonder aloud, Aeli pressed, "There's no time for questions! Just go! Now!"_

 _Mira complied. Aeli gazed towards the unseen approaching threat. She called forth her artifact and aimed her shining bow as…the intruder entered. He did not bother with any usual mortal means of entrance, which was not unusual—inhuman, monstrous abductors rarely bother to use the door. However, he did not blast his way in, which was the expected way of villainous arrival. The wall…unfolded, moving aside and opening as if it were the natural action. The figure walked in…seemingly a young man in his early twenties, in a dark, somber uniform, with wild hair streaked with red, blond, silver and brown, and eyes that drifted in separate directions through the color spectrum. Otherwise, his form was quite familiar to the young woman. "Eminus," she muttered. "So there's still some of you left?"_

 _Eminus smiled at her. "Indeed. Oh, your young man did marvelously, for sure…but we are not yet dead. Now, you will help us to revive…."_

 _('_ He's come for me? In that case, I don't have to hold back…. _')_

 _But then he was suddenly standing behind her, and a spell incapacitated her instantly. "As gifted as you are, you cannot really think you could even slow me down," Eminus murmured as he caught her. "Easily done…the lion was out. Almost…disappointing…I could almost wish for more fun…." His senses caught the tiny life sparks of the fleeing Mira and her tiny burden and he analyzed them swiftly. "That is…so you had his child, did you? How interesting…it might be best to get rid of it now…but…what will the child be like in the future? I should like to see it." He smirked. "And you, too, Kalan Lockeheart…come see me soon…." And he was gone._

8-8-8

 _Kalan tensed before he and Jynx even arrived back at the house. He redoubled his speed, leaving Jynx sputtering in his wake. He touched down and charged into the building, with Jynx following shortly after him._

 _Mira was standing again in the nursery, staring at the still-warped back wall, Kain in her arms and muttering softly in his sleep. She turned to the man as he entered. "Kalan…s-someone came…."_

 _"Someone took her," Kalan growled. He put a hand to the floor and cast a brief spell. "This energy…there's no mistake. It's them. It's one of_ those _."_

 _"The Obsidian Star?" Jynx muttered. "I can't believe it…they're coming back after all this time…?"_

 _"No time to worry about that. I'm going after him. Jynx…."_

 _"I'm coming with you," Jynx insisted. "Don't even think about trying to leave me behind. If they're back, we need to go and crush them now…that's the best way to make sure Aeli, Kain, and all the rest are safe."_

 _Kalan nodded. "Right. Let's go." He cast his next spell, and began to track Pakrov Eminus…._

8-8-8

 _"The southern continent," Kalan murmured. "Not a bad choice, honestly…far from the scene of the previous war. Hiding down here…it's no surprise that neither we, nor Gato and Takamichi were able to track the last of them. Well, that ends today…."_

 _They approached the final destination of Kalan's tracking—a cave set in a large rock outcropping out in the desert, the most uninhabitable wilderness of this unremarkable continent in Arcanus Myrror._

 _"Do you think so? I suppose we shall see…."_

 _Eminus appeared before them. "Welcome, Kalan Lockeheart!" he declared, spreading his arms out invitingly. "I was hoping you would answer the invitation. The power burning inside me…I must test its limits…you shall be an excellent challenge."_

 _"Don't kid yourself," Kalan growled. "I'm taking my wife back. You're in for a world of pain…and I'll finish what I started."_

 _Eminus smiled and came at the man. They exploded together, exchanging blows and occasional spells. As Kalan threw his foe momentarily away, Jynx came in behind to follow up. His black sphere of gravity engulfed the golem, but an instant later the energy dispersed, and Eminus gazed up coolly at the mage. "Well, gravity magic—a powerful Lost Magic. However…the energies of magic usually fall under four main elements, with over a dozen minor and major permutations. Even gravity magic is one of them—a subset of the element of earth. I am created from all four primary elements, and my power is over all those elements and their sub-elements. I cannot be harmed by any of them…."_

 _Then a blast of pure magical force impacted against Eminus, sending him flying. "Well, thanks for that boastful warning," Kalan said dryly. "So we just have to use non-elemental power against you, right?"_

 _Eminus impacted against a rock outcropping and an instant later emerged from it with another blast. He alighted down again not far from Kalan and smirked. "Well said…perhaps I do talk too much. I'm still trying to adjust to life. But let's get to the fighting." And he charged in again._

 _Jynx and Kalan came at Eminus from opposite sides, and he battled both of them. Incredibly to the two Red Wings, he was holding his own quite well. After several long seconds of rapid-fire exchanges, Eminus dodged one strike from Jynx, grabbed him, and hurled him into Kalan. Kalan sidestepped the human missile and reached behind him, catching his friend's hand as he sailed past, and then spun, whirling Jynx around until the man connected with Eminus with both feet. As the elemental monster was sent flying, Jynx alighted on the ground and Kalan reached into his coat and pulled out his_ zanpaku-tô _. Eminus recovered and began to approach again, carefully observing the blade as Kalan raised it. "Sleep deeply, Yume no Musôka," he intoned, and the blade vanished…._

 _And then Kalan did, too, as a sudden globe of darkness rose up from nowhere and swallowed him before vanishing itself, leaving Jynx and Eminus alone. Jynx glanced around in wild shock. "Whoa, whoa…where'd he go…?"_

 _"Good question," Eminus muttered. "It seems my father set a trap for Kalan that would take him as soon as he released that sword of his…apparently he didn't trust me to manage the job myself. Feh. Oh well…you'll have to be a consolation prize, Allen Black…." And he charged in again._

 _Kalan stared around at the eternal black of the void around him. "Some kind of pocket space? That's silly…my sword can simply end this…." He raised the invisible blade and invoked its power and…somehow perceived the world, that already incomprehensible void, expanding, growing larger and rather weightier, rather than ending or opening up as it should have. He frowned…and then centered on the threat as creatures began to emerge from the blackness around him and attacked._

 _"There are reasons we waited this long before acting," the elderly Eminus muttered with a smile, observing the battle through a magic scrying orb within the safety of the cave. "We would not be careless against the man who was even able to defeat our Prince, our god. I've fully studied that weapon and considered a way to neutralize it. This sub-space is one of the realms the Prince created long ago, a place he uses for, shall we say, refuse disposal. It already has reality-altering aspects, but I engineered it to consume what you would call 'dream-particles'. It was placed there and set to react to their initial release. You can't use that sword to escape that trap…the more you use your_ zanpaku-tô _'s power within that world, the more that world grows and produces hungry denizens, walls and traps…."_

 _Kalan could not hear the narration, but he deduced the facts of it in short order as he cut down and blew away the nightmare-phantasm beasts that came fearlessly and senselessly towards him. "Well, that's fine…it's a little trickier, but I'll just have to take care of that, too…."_

 _He began to weave the magic out from his cloak, and after a difficult struggle his spell won out and began to dissipate the world. He broke free of it and returned to his previous reality…just in time to see Eminus blast Jynx through the middle of his chest with a crackling, lightning-wrapped stone spear._

 _Jynx had not gone down quietly—a savage wound lay across Eminus' shoulder, leaking not blood but a kind of dark miasma. Still, it was not enough, not compared to his own mortal injury as he slumped to the ground. Growling in rage, Kalan came streaking in._

 _Eminus turned to face him, his powerful barrier flashing into existence to protect him, but neither his speed nor his barrier were enough—Kalan arrived before he was fully turned, and his invisible sword flashed with mana-, ki- and_ reiatsu _-enhanced energy, tearing through that barrier and cutting Eminus in half at the waist._

 _The two pieces flew opposite directions and sloughed onto the ground roughly. Kalan, ignoring Eminus as he began to mutter pitifully and struggled to move with his upper half, hurried over to his friend's side._

 _Jynx coughed up blood. "N-nice," he muttered between gasping breaths. "You could have…managed a second earlier…."_

 _"Sorry. Lie still…I'll take care of you…."_

 _Jynx attempted to chuckle, but this sound too disappeared into a desperate cough. "N-not with your healing powers…I'm done here. D-don't worry about me…Aeli…needs you…."_

 _Kalan was silent a moment. "You're right. Well…it's not done, but it should be enough…I can send you back to 'respawn'…."_

 _"That'll do…to be honest…I'm kinda afraid of dying…."_

 _"Right. We'll come back to you as soon as we can…maybe…." Kalan spread out a hand, and a magic circle appeared under Jynx. Mana began to build as the spell worked._

 _"T-that doesn't sound…reassuring…."_

 _"Jynx, I…have a bad feeling about this, a bad premonition. I might not come back. Just in case I don't…I want you to promise me something. Mira will take care of Kain if we can't come back, but…I want to be able to do something for him. Just in case. Your artifact can summon heroes from anywhere, or anywhen…if you meet my son…when you meet him…."_

 _"R-right…I get it…I'll stage a reunion with his father. I-I doubt I'll need it…but if it happens…."_

 _Kalan nodded. "Thanks. See you later, pal." And then Jynx was gone._

 _With little hesitation, Kalan rose, taking up his sword again, and stalked into the cave._

 _Pakrov Eminus stared after him, struggling still to crawl. "N-no…don't just ignore me…I-I can't be defeated like this! I am the greatest…warrior of the Obsidian Star…I can't lose…not…like…this…!"_

 _There was a brief blast of power, a kind of backblast that seemed to consume Eminus, turning both halves of him to ash. Then the ash seemed to swirl together, as if blown by a very careful wind, and it became thicker as it swirled, first to sand, then seemingly forming larger and larger rocks, and then…._

 _Kalan didn't have far to go before he entered what was obviously the main chamber. There, in the middle of the laboratory, was its chief, the glowering old figure of the Obsidian scientist. "Impossible!" the elder Eminus screeched. "Why!? Why do you always get in our way!? Is your entire purpose simply to torture us!? Well, it all ends here…!"_

 _He was cut off with a scream of pain as Kalan lanced him with a blade of spiritual power, right in his shoulder. He then manipulated the energy to throw the man down and pin him to the floor, and slowly, inexorably, a veritable angel of vengeance, Kalan stalked forward to glare down at the old man. "Enough of your babbling. I'm only here for one thing. Where is my wife?"_

 _Eminus laughed through the pain. "Fool. You are too late. Aeli Valencia Kanna has already been sent to the Obsidian Palace. You may have hidden the Crystal Princess from us, but she will serve as a substitute…and the Obsidian Star will be fully resurrected…."_

 _"Not likely," Kalan growled. "I'll grind it down for sure this time when I find her…and I'll start with you…."_

 _Suddenly a figure pounced on Kalan from behind, and he whirled around to beat him off. The figure hit and slid backwards. He was small, seemingly a boy of early teenage years, with messy brown hair and lifeless green eyes, and despite his vacant expression, his garb and face were the same as the others…._

 _"What on earth? Another one? And a_ chibi _model? You're really getting desperate, old man…."_

 _"I commend you for defeating me," the diminutive Pakrov Eminus stated. "I am broken…but a part remains, a spark of life I can give to destroy you…." And he gestured, causing a wave stone spears to fly Kalan's way._

 _Kalan dodged and deflected several attacks of stone. "I see," he murmured. "So you sacrificed all your other power, lifeforce and elements to take the form of just one of them. Still, you're about as strong as the first three. But that's not enough to challenge me." Then he broke through the latest attack and sent the young Pakrov flying harshly into a cave wall with a savage kick. Then he raised a hand and powered a spell. "Sorry, but I'm just going to take you out here…."_

 _And then suddenly the older Eminus surged up behind him, and slipped a pendant around his neck. In nearly the same instant Kalan whirled and unleashed an instinctive burst of power that blew the old man to pieces, scattering him across the chamber. It was too late, however…he felt the burning of the energy as it roared into him. His mind was strong, developed into iron strength at an early age, far greater than any normal man or even exceptional man, but he realized that the soul within that pendant that now burned to invade him…its depth and expanse was greater than any mere mortal could dream to conceive…._

 _The mental will was already struggling to manipulate his instinctive mental powers, and with a mere wish, if it gained control for a fraction of a second, it could restore both foes he had destroyed this evening. Kalan sealed his_ zanpaku-tô _and slipped it into the safe confines of his cloak. Then, as he perceived the young elemental rising and preparing to battle him, an action that would put his mental state in further danger, he teleported away…._

 _Pakrov stared stoically after him. Then he turned and walked with swift but measured strides over to…what was left of the old man. Only his head, upper torso and one arm remained attached enough to constitute his 'body'. There was enough life in him to glance over at the boy as he kneeled at his side. "Ah…how marvelous…although defeated, a remnant of you has forced himself free to come to my aid…my final work impresses even myself…." He managed an inhuman chuckle as a few forms materialized around him and began to approach._

 _Eminus glanced around at the newcomers. "Horius…Kalovus…Koltas. Nagi. And Dynamis…so they did salvage you. As it stands, you are all that remains of the Obsidian Star. Nagi…how go our affairs in Hueco Mundo?"_

 _"Well enough," Nagi said. "It will be a dozen years or more before it's ready…but they should serve as satisfactory replacements then…."_

 _"Yes…years…we have plenty of work ahead of us, still." He turned and reached his hand up to Pakrov, painting a small sigil on his cheek with his own blood. "This is my last work…the Remnant…although I have lost the entirety of Pakrov Eminus, he will fulfill the role. Our Prince is now out there, struggling with Kalan Lockeheart. The human will not win…but we don't know how long the struggle will take, as Kalan Lockeheart was this world's greatest champion. Until he returns…it is up to the Remnant to lead this force. Nagi will rule over Hueco Mundo…and in this world, until the time is complete, you will follow his commands. I will hear no argument. The Prince…will know when he returns, if and how you have served." The old man smiled as his hand fell limp. "Well…go forth…and save our legacy…."_

 _There was silence for several long moments as, in their way, the small group honored the departed scientist as his body began to disintegrate and rejoin the magical atmosphere. Finally Pakrov Eminus rose to his feet and turned to the others._

 _Dynamis spoke first. "Eminus has spoken…Remnant, you are given charge. What is our action?"_

 _"Remnant," Eminus muttered. "I am all that remains of Pakrov Eminus…but that name belongs to me, now. Regardless…we still have plans to make. Aeli Kanna will serve as a replacement, but she must be supplemented…how are the plans for the Obsidian Heart?"_

 _"Progressing slowly," Horius said. "It will take much time before it is ready, and then the artifacts must be gathered. Like the work with the arrancar, it will likely take ten years or longer…but in the meantime, there are many other projects I can pursue…."_

 _"If they work as well as Dynamis' recovery, you may continue…so long as it does not set the progress of the Obsidian Heart back," Eminus declared. He glanced over at Nagi, who nodded and vanished. "Nagi has his own work to perform. Dynamis, go back to the Obsidian Palace and keep watch over the prisoner. For now, your battle powers are best kept hidden and in reserve." The shadow rumbled and vanished as well. "Then you three may continue."_

 _"And what about you?" Koltas asked softly. "What will you do?"_

 _Eminus shrugged. "Right now, I, too, am little use to the plan. I will search for Kalan Lockeheart…if I can locate him, perhaps by battling him I can speed the recovery of our Prince. If nothing else, I will expand my knowledge of this world…and the avenues by which we can facilitate our second conquest…."]_

F I N

 _Author's Note: The Remnant_

 _I'm setting the stage for most of the big fights to take place next Act, so I'm using this time to answer a lot of questions about what's happened to prepare this place—the Obsidian Star's recovery, the loss of Kalan and Aeli, and the rest. And, of course, reveal the history and secret thoughts and memories of Pakrov Eminus, 'The Remnant', and, really, explain how he acquired his harem. Many of my favorite manga go into great detail about many of the villains the heroes encounter, fleshing them out and humanizing them, and I am quite fond of this trope. We don't need to know everything about all of them, but understanding Eminus is important as we make ready to show his part in the final battle…both as an adversary and…._

 _Of course, this point is something that…kind of disgusts me, old choices on story plots and points coming back to bite me. It's pretty minor, probably, but it's the other edge of the sword of my reasonableness. Specifically, I made Kalan Lockeheart so overwhelmingly powerful, it begs the question: how could they possibly stop him at this point? Even more so since I capitulated to my father's sentiment and gave Kalan the all-powerful dream-sword of Yume no Musôka. Of course, in the original work Akamatsu-_ sensei _had an equally overpowering past superhero and never did explain exactly what happened to him; there was just Fate's mysterious thought that 'The Thousand Master and I defeated each other ten years ago' and suggestions of possession by the Mage of the Beginning, little tidbits that I had to develop into my own story since I'm obsessed with making everything make sense and showing all of this sooner or later. This makes things hard on me…._

 _For instance, here I have to Deus Ex Machina a way for Kalan to be defeated, overcome, and eventually possessed by the Obsidian Star…I have to have a reason that he and Aeli couldn't be with Kain after his birth (again, there never was shown what happened to Negi's mother)…I have to have a reason why the lost Kalan could still show up ten years ago, save Kain and hand over his cloak, and then disappear with vague pleadings. So I pretty much explained it here, but I'll put this in plain: this necklace is the container for the defeated Prince's soul, and is modeled after the pendant Reito Minagi had in My-HiME (origin for the Obsidian Star/Prince, of course) and is the means he uses to possess a new body. He can't take it off (why? Magic. The only explanation I can give, sorry). And so he spends around fifteen years wandering Arcanus Myrror in secret, keeping away from everyone because he knows that if the Obsidian Prince wins for just an instant he can use him and his power to kill a friend or anyone around, really. The only thing he can suspend his self-imposed exile for is the opportunity to save Kain…and turn over his cloak, so that the Obsidian Prince can't use it in the future. It's not an unprecedented plot line either—it's similar to the Warrior (Aidan, we later hear him named) in Diablo/Diablo II, who after defeating Diablo at the end of the first game jabs the soulstone into his own head so he can contain the Demon Lord's power. It is later revealed in Diablo II that this was what Diablo wanted, as his human soul wasn't enough to resist the corruption and now he made an even greater vessel than his child brother. It's involuntary for Kalan, but the same concept—he's carrying this evil god's influence that he cannot evict, but his own will is so incredible he holds him at bay all that time. Impressive, in its own way._

 _So now we continue learning about Eminus, based, naturally, on Fate's history, as shown rather later than this, comparatively, but as I said, this is the opportunity to set the stage. It works better here, for my purposes…._


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Six: The Remnant

 _[Eminus flew through the air. His thoughts were deep and introspective as he traveled._ ('There is something…an unrest in me. What I was…seems an almost foreign existence. The emotions and desires I harbored. Now…there is only the desire to accomplish my purpose. This is probably appropriate, really…after all, I am nothing but a tool in the service of the Obsidian Star…personal sentiments are….')

 _Suddenly dizziness washed over him, and he felt power fleeing his body. He fell from the sky as he lost consciousness…._

8-8-8

 _The awakening to consciousness was sudden. There was no pain, no memory of discomfort…merely, first, the sensation of dizziness and weakness, then nothing…and now he was awake again. Eminus glanced around at his surroundings. He was dressed now in a light tee-shirt and light, pajama-like bottoms, and lying in a bed in a small room, rather simply furnished with two doors, a small square table with two chairs, a window to his right with a small potted plant growing on his sill, and a picture hanging on the wall on his right, a painting of a beautiful maiden in a forest glade, playing a harp. "Where is this…?" he muttered._

 _The door before him opened, and a figure walked in, a tall, beautiful woman with long, sharp ears and long pink hair. A small child, a miniature version of her, clung to the back of her leg and peaked out from behind her. "Oh!" said the woman in surprise, offering a smile. "You're awake?"_

 _Eminus stared at her. "Where is this?" he finally asked._

 _"A small village on the outskirts of Dalkia," the woman explained amiably. "I saw you fall from the sky…you fell on the other side of the hill, so I brought you here. Luckily, you don't seem to be injured. You can rest here until your body returns to normal."_

 _"…No," Eminus insisted, starting to rise. "That isn't necessary. I have to go. I appreciate your aid, High Elf, but…."_

 _Then his consciousness quavered again, and he slumped forward. The woman caught him with a cry of alarm. "Are you all right? You don't seem to be healing well."_

 _"No, I'm fine," Eminus insisted. "Just a little…dizzy…."_ ('Something does seem to be wrong with me…if Father were still alive, he could perhaps fix my condition or find what was wrong with me, but….')

 _He glanced over at the little girl, who was now hiding behind the farther chair at the table. She returned his glance curiously._

 _The woman put him back into the bed. "Please, stay here and rest. Just what happened to you for you to end up like this?"_

 _"…I don't remember."_

 _"You don't remember? Really? In that case…." The woman reached out, took Eminus' hand, and brought it up to her face, almost as if she here about to kiss it, but held it there just millimeters from her face as she closed her eyes. Then she tensed suddenly. "…Oh? How strange. Just who are you…?"_

 _Eminus stared at her, his face a mask, but strange curiosity rose up in him. "…What is it?"_

 _The woman let go and rose, turning away. "O-oh, sorry, it's nothing. Could I get you something to drink, water or tea or…?"_

 _"…Whatever is fine."_

 _"Then, you shall have some of my coffee." She returned with the prepared drink in short order. "Most elves are not very fond of coffee, but I have…eclectic tastes. I'm quite proud of my coffee."_

 _Eminus politely sampled the drink, and surprise spread over his face. He was, in point of fact, exceedingly young in temporal existence, having only recently been 'born', and he had not yet had much opportunity to sample human (or other races') pleasures, but the taste of this drink was…quite pleasing to the young man. Although a creation, he did have enough human to consume food and beverages, and this…. "…It's delicious," he admitted._

 _"I'm glad to hear it."_

8-8-8

 _Eminus stayed three days with the woman, Laryssa, and her daughter, Ellis. Although she claimed that they were in a village, Laryssa's house was rather detached from it, on a hill. There was no sign of a man in the family, yet Laryssa and Ellis seemed perfectly happy doing chores about the house as Eminus recovered. Although at first she seemed rather afraid of him, soon Ellis was quite content to help attend to him, bringing him food and, in particular, more of that coffee he so enjoyed._

 _"Are you really all right now?" Laryssa asked as Eminus readied to depart that evening._

 _"Yes…I've imposed on you for three days now. I shall intend to repay the favor if I pass this way again."_

 _Laryssa smiled. "Then I'll be waiting with some good coffee ready for you. Please come any time you wish."_

 _Eminus took off into the sky. Mother and daughter stared after him. "He flew away so easily…" Ellis murmured. "Who is he?"_

 _"I don't know," her mother responded. "But…he does love his coffee, doesn't he?"_

 _"Yep! He drank ten cups a day!"_

8-8-8

 _Horius finished his examination. "Well, I've fixed the problem—it's rather natural, if you think about it. You are a being who was never intended to exist…after your original form was left all but dead, you tore yourself from your previous existence, sacrificed all your power to recreate a fraction of yourself so you could continue the fight. It shouldn't even have been possible…but I suppose Pakrov Eminus was that marvelous of a creation."_

 _Eminus leaned up and looked over at Horius. "…You sound more scornful than admiring…."_

 _"Your father was the chief scientist of the Obsidian Star for millennia, across multiple worlds…I, a young buck born of humans on this world, am obviously nothing compared to him. But I will make no secret of my deepest desires. I wish to tread that path, and surpass him…that is my ultimate goal. But do not worry…I am the Obsidian Star's creature, so I won't do anything to hinder you, and I will follow your commands. But I also will not pretend to worship you. In time, my creations shall dwarf you._

 _"But that's far distant. For now, I've tweaked your physiology, steadied it. You shouldn't have any more issues with fainting spells." He gestured to the nearby table. "You may resume your amusements as you wish. I heard you like coffee…there's some there on the table." And he departed._

 _Eminus stared after the man, then wandered over to the table and sampled the coffee. "Disgusting," he muttered._

8-8-8

 _Days later he was flying through the air again…and as a plume of smoke wafted into the dusk sky, he headed over that direction. He realized that…he was returning to that woman's house…._

 _The village down below the hill was in flames. The house at the top of the hill was also on fire. He touched down next to it and stared…at the terrible figure lying on the ground in front of it. Laryssa had suffered wounds and abuse too terrible to speak of, but she was—barely—still breathing as he approached and knelt down by her. She slowly opened her eyes and looked over at him weakly. "Sorry," she managed. "The coffee…it's a bit…."_

 _"No, never mind that," Eminus stated without emotion. "What about Ellis?"_

 _"She…I told her to run…she should be…." The woman sucked in a ragged breath in a sad sigh. "Please…if you can…save her…."_

 _Eminus still stared down coldly. "I am no hero. I am more a villain myself. It's useless to ask such a thing of me…."_

 _"N-no…you can…I know it…I saw…."_

 _A blast of energy engulfed the pair, silencing her._

 _The heat and cloud faded, and Eminus remained kneeling over…nothing. He glanced over at the source…a man in armor, bearing the insignia of the kingdom of Dalkia, flanked by two others in even heavier plate, including full helms. "Ho…" the man muttered. "You're untouched…how interesting. You're not from this village, are you?"_

 _He considered Eminus as the young man continued staring blankly, silently. "Your face is asking 'why?'" he continued with a chuckle. "Isn't it obvious? This village is a threat to us…filled with beings that possess unnatural powers. High elves like these in particular often have great magical powers; it is said that they are even connected to great and powerful guardian spirits. The rumor said that some of the elf women in this village could even read minds with a touch."_

 _With that last comment, Eminus recalled his first meeting with the woman and her singular reaction to touching him. "Well, it appears that, whatever the case is, you're not really one of them. We're just hunting down the last few stragglers now, some of the kids who ran off. If you don't want to get involved, just leave and…."_

 _A torrent of stone spears suddenly ripped through all three men, killing them instantly. Eminus lowered his hand and slowly rose. "Interesting," he murmured. "There was no meaning in that. They will all perish eventually. So why…? Well…I suppose I won't be drinking that coffee again…."_

 _Then he turned as his senses caught a flash of significant magical energy down in the woods below. He moved that direction._

 _A short distance into the woods he saw the little girl sitting against a tree, her head slumped forward and her eyes closed. A half-dozen Dalkian soldiers lay strewn about the landscape…and standing in front of Ellis, staring down at her, was a huge, hulking creature in an ornate breastplate, with purple skin and long white hair, and a pair of vestigial horns emerging from his forehead, which Eminus saw clearly as it turned to stare at him. The monster growled and flexed the metal knuckles adorning its hands._

 _Eminus stared back placidly, and just as the beast was about to charge, Ellis finally roused and called out, "Borgnine, stop!" The creature relented its aggressive stance and looked back over its shoulder at Ellis._

 _Ellis slowly made it to her feet and took a few steps toward the young man. "Eminus-_ sama _…you came back. Are you here…to help us…?"_

 _Eminus stared, then shook his head. "No. I was just in the area." He glanced back to the big monster. "Borgnine…I see. I'd heard that true high elves were connected to the magical realms…did you name him?"_

 _"Eh? No…his name…I just know it…just like…how he just came…."_

('To protect herself, she subconsciously awakened her power,') _Eminus thought._ ('It is unknown whether she possesses the same power as her mother, but regardless, her power….')

 _They all stopped and turned as another Dalkian commander entered the scene. "Well…here we are…the last one. Once this child is gone, this little threat to Dalkian authority will be put to rest…." He settled his eyes on Eminus. "You…who are you, and what are you doing here? Are you with the elves?"_

 _"Me? Of course not," Eminus said simply, to Ellis' shock. "I have nothing to do with them."_

 _"Very good," the man said with a smile. He gestured to his soldiers. "Take care of her."_

 _As they moved past, Eminus suddenly gestured, and they were torn to shreds by surging earth. The commander stared in shock. "…But I think…that I've taken a disliking to you, regardless."_

 _The commander's impotent, furious scream was cut off swiftly by Eminus' next attack. Then, with hardly a pause, Eminus turned and began to walk away._

 _Ellis stared, then started hurrying after him. "W-wait! Eminus-_ sama _! W-what about…did you see my mother…?"_

 _The man stopped suddenly. Then, without turning, he replied, "You won't see her again…not in this reality." Then, after another pause, he continued, "It seems…if you have nowhere else to go…you can travel with me for a while…."]_

8-8-8

Eminus watched the party moving through the halls on the monitor, dispatching the foes that came into their way with unsurprising speed and finality. "All I ever was…was the incomplete doll, the smoldering embers of a great power, the last breath in the life of the Obsidian Star. There was nothing, not even pride when I was appointed leader in the absence of the Prince. I am but a tool…a weapon forged to battle its enemies and accomplish its destiny. I never felt anything…a weapon has no need of emotion. And yet…looking back…I still have no reason for many of my actions. I never wished to be 'human'…the very concept seemed an insult. But…perhaps Kinue is right. To be 'human' is not merely indicative of being mortal and weak. But 'humans' are no more emotional than our own creatures. When I was whole…I certainly desired a challenge…battle with Kalan Lockeheart…and now…with Kain- _kun_ approaching…I feel that desire burning in me again.

"No…that isn't all, is it? Only a 'human' would have saved people like Ellis, Luana, Fyuria, Yayoi and the rest. A 'tool' has no need of a hobby." He smiled slightly. "All these thoughts…burning within me. It's maddening to wonder who and what I am, and yet…still, it is exhilarating. Come on, then, Kain- _kun_ …help me find my answers. Show me what it means to 'live'. Show me what it means to be 'human'…."

8-8-8

"How many levels are there?" Hinagiku panted as they hurried up the stairs.

"One hundred and fifty," Luana supplied easily. "We're approaching the twentieth floor now."

"All of you…why is everyone so obsessed with towers and heights and the rest!? At least there won't be any windows. There…won't be any windows, right?"

"Don't know. Shouldn't be…."

"Enough of the comedy," Zelgadis growled. "Save your breath for the enemy."

Hinagiku bit back her retort.

They finally arrived at the top of the stairs and entered a large chamber. Kain stopped suddenly and thrust an arm out, bringing his followers to a halt as well. "What's the matter?" Nanami asked, standing close behind Kain, with Chisame next to her.

"Something's wrong," Kain muttered. "Something's coming…."

And then the world around them was rent by a powerful spell.

"W-what's going on!?" Arika demanded in shock.

"A-a trap!" Nodoka gasped. "But this is…."

"It shouldn't be surprising they would prepare a new trap I had no knowledge of," Luana murmured. "This is…."

"Everyone, quickly…!" Jade began.

But it was already too late. They were swept up into the magical maelstrom…and vanished.

8-8-8

Kamo manifested. There was a swirling of light as his magical essence once again gathered together into a single place and took on a finite shape. His lesser senses took note of his location—a round room, from its shape and the presence of windows spaced around the whole 360 degrees suggesting the top of a tower—but his attention was fully focused on the form in front of him. Kamo himself was standing semi-upright on a plain round table and there, across from him on its twin, was Alvaris.

"Hello and welcome!" Alvaris chuckled, hopping off of his table. As he fell to the ground, he shifted, changed, and rose a human, wrapped in black clothes with jet-black, slicked-back hair and dark, nearly black eyes. "Good to see you again, Kamolai! Tell me, how do you like it here?"

"It's a little plain for my taste," Kamo shot back. "What am I doing here?"

Alvaris clucked reprovingly. "Come, you must know. Asakura Ryoko- _chan_ delivered you to me, like a present. I'd say it puts you out of the way so that you can't aid your master…but let's be honest and dispense with the charades: you're useless to them, except for giving them contracts."

"That's a matter of opinion," Kamo shot back. "I'd say you're at least as useless to the Obsidian Star. Why are you even siding with them? They…."

"Why shouldn't we side with them?" Alvaris interrupted, sneering. He shook his head despondently. "Really, Kamolai…you've become far too attached to those humans. You practically think like a human! It's rather depressing. Mortals, even the longest-lived races like the elves and the syrium, are far too fleeting to be attached to. The Obsidian Star, however…they are a race of magic. They have arisen from artificial means to be a race of power, eternal and limitless! And now, with this little haven they will create, they shall become a new, great world. Life and magic both will be without limit. And a measly combined population of 30 billion or so will be sacrificed? You should know well, Kamolai…humans grow like weeds throughout the Multiverse of Existence. But this is something unique, something grand. Thirty billion, or thirty thousand…either number is meaningless, but the few survivors of this exercise will be beings whose existence is not meaningless, who matter on the scale of the universe! An eternal being like you, fighting that…it simply makes no sense."

"You really don't understand anything," Kamo shot back. "Yeah, those weed-like humans…are you still too blind to see the significance of how they permeate existence? Why humans are so prevalent, when their existence seems so insignificant and meaningless? Humans matter…not as a race, but as individuals. The greatness of a few can never outweigh the lives of many…not in their mortality. They are more than the immortality you want for those 'select few'. And these, especially…it seems you can't possibly understand the significance Kain and his girls have to me…."

"Oh, no, I understand that," Alvaris said. "I don't understand why it matters so much to you, but don't think I don't understand the significance of the sentiment. Do you think Pakrov and his little posse don't mean anything to me?" He shook his head. "We're both the same, magical spirits of contracts, and so you must know, even if you don't want to admit it. I've bound them together in contracts. That means that I've felt their emotions and their connections, and despite what you think, that isn't meaningless to me. Let me tell you about Pakrov Eminus.

"As you probably suspected, I followed you to this time/plane, after you finally returned to look for Kalan Lockeheart and found only his son Kain instead, about eight years ago. After perceiving the world you had affected, I went looking for your foes, and found him—Pakrov Eminus. He had already started assembling his Hikaru Genji group by then—Ellis was a cute young teen, and Borgnine was…well, he's Borgnine. He'd saved the two syrium siblings and recruited Winfield, and had just picked up Luana, saved her after her village was sacked by Dalkia. Noah, Elaine, Ryuryu, Kairen, Sherufanir, Valeria, Lavinia, Faina, Vira-Lorr and Yayoi—and many others besides, which he sent off to good orphanages, schools, and communities. Do you think any others of the Eminus 'family' would have picked up so many little waifs? Do you think it was a habit of anyone in the Obsidian Star? Pakrov was just 'the Remnant', barely a quarter of a previous being. He felt himself as nothing more than a tool, and even his personality seemed a shattered leftover of what he had once been. But the Obsidian Star's people are actually more human than most would believe, you know? The Prince wasn't born a creature. Although now he's closer to an Infernal than to a human, he didn't start that way, and even the semi-demonic race he created are like that. They are born loyal to him, but they do have personalities, personal desires, preferences, the rest—they are people, and in a fashion, human. Pakrov always convinced himself he had no emotions or feelings, but it was more than mere curiosity or randomness that led him to doing what Aiden Rylack called 'the work of a saint'. He cares for those girls, and deep down, he doesn't like to see anything happen to 'innocents'. A rather strange sentiment for a monster, no? It's actually rather fascinating, seeing humanity grow in something that should have been a programmed automaton. Even now, he burns with a new desire he's recognized: to take your Kain Lockeheart on himself and defeat him in single combat. He's always felt a kinship, a connection to Kain, beginning with the enmity of their respective 'parents' and going beyond that.

"Who knows—you said that there's more to humanity than the simple infestation they seem to be, and maybe you're right. If humanity is born so easily in someone like Eminus, maybe they do have a larger significance in the grand scheme of the Multiverse of Existence. And perhaps this is the path that they will use to reach that next level, and truly become something more. Pakrov Eminus, and all his girls—I really don't care much about the Prince or the brat Nagi or any of the rest, but those kids…I admit, I like 'em. I've grown attached. And I'll see it through with them. The rest of this world…they're all insignificant, and they can burn and crumble. And from those ashes, something greater than mere mortality will arise."

Alvaris smirked and raised a hand. "Well, but you're in the way of that. So I'm going to have to put you of the picture for now, old friend."

A blast of magical energy shot from Alvaris' hand, impacting and destroying the table that served as Kamo's perch. The would-be ermine leapt clear of the blast and scampered away, pelting across the floor with rodent fervor. Alvaris tracked him and fired more magical bolts, which Kamo desperately dodged.

"Come on, Kamolai! Are you going to make me play exterminator, or are you going to fight back? I know you like to play the 'lover, not a fighter' card, but really! I guess you are just too weak…too dependent on those pathetic human friends of yours…."

Finally he stopped firing his blasts and instead focused a sword of magic in his hand, and charged towards the reeling rodent. Kamo turned to him and came up in his own human guise, blocking Alvaris' strike with a sword of his own.

"Good," Alvaris purred. "That's better. At least you shouldn't shame our race and people with such a pathetic showing…put up a fight, at least…."

8-8-8

The room had the look of a rather traditional temple of Japanese origin: large, walled with round, grooved vertical planks, pillared, and at the back of the room there was a dais with a small shrine marked by candles and what should have been _kanji_ characters, but were instead strange runes.

Aerie arrived in this strange shrine, about in the middle of the room, and she looked up at the dais, where Yayoi stood, opposing her.

"Welcome," Yayoi offered quietly, in a tone that was nearly a cross between cold and demure. "You've been brought here…I am Yayoi of Yamato, the shrine maiden of Pakrov Eminus."

Aerie carefully raised her staff. "I am Aerie…of Alluvienne, the witch of Minsc."

This actually brought Yayoi up short. "Eh…? Alluvienne…I've heard of that…I thought that was the city of the winged elves…?"

Aerie lowered her face slightly. "Yes…the city of the Avariel…the winged elves."

Yayoi stared…and started. "O-oh…! I-I'm sorry, I must…."

"I-it's all right. I…lost my wings long ago. I can't return to that city in the clouds now…the one city on Arcanus Myrror higher than this one. It is what it is…now, Minsc and his people…they are my family, and their land is my home."

Yayoi looked at Aerie appraisingly. "I see…you're just like us."

And this comment surprised Aerie in turn. "W-what? I-I'm not…."

"We…all of us…we've all had tragedies in our lives. Despite that, we're on opposite sides here…it's rather sad. But, I have to do this…for Eminus- _sama_. Come forth." Yayoi held up a card, and it became a staff with a four-pointed star on its head.

Aerie assumed a guard, waiting. "I-I do understand…but I won't let my friends be hurt!"

Both young ladies began to chant, and their spells blasted together.

8-8-8

The magic that warped over Momo convulsed and shuddered unnecessarily. As before with Tear's mass transit spell, the wide-range teleportation reacted in strange ways to Momo's body of _reishi_ , and this time even Soul Society was completely cut off and unavailable as a destination. Finally she arrived back in the real world, shooting out of whatever subspace had devoured her at high speed. She managed to get control of herself and stop herself peacefully before she suffered a serious impact.

"Oh my…that was unusual. I wasn't expecting that."

Momo glanced up and saw Vira-Lorr standing…at the gazebo. They were in a large clearing, ringed by impenetrable trees at a fairly notable distance, with a marble path lined with pillars leading up to the gazebo that was Vira-Lorr's place of abode. The three-eyed woman looked at Momo in amusement. "Well…I ended up with you? The old ladies together…I guess that's appropriate, after a fashion…."

Momo drew her sword and held it forth while she pulled out her card with her left hand. "You…the onelthes Vira-Lorr? What have you done here?"

"Well, 'we' simply separated you so that we could deal with you individually…we used our powers to create appropriate worlds that can serve as our battlegrounds." She pulled her own card out from the front of her blouse and commanded it: "Reveal." It became a sword-staff, and Vira-Lorr presented it. "This is the Staff of Acharnos, one of the four pillars of the Undreamt World. Ellis, Yayoi, and Faina have the other three. With their combined powers, we are able to create truly unique worlds."

"Really, is there a point to this one?" Momo asked dryly, glancing around at it. "Or is it just pretty terrain?"

Vira-Lorr sighed. "Well, for this project, we had to have Alvaris' help. He picked each of our territories…basing most of them on our homes. The onelthes, now, are a nearly extinct race of gypsies and vagabonds…but we had a home, once, one without any grand buildings, but what we had greatly resembled this place. Really, there is no point." She raised her weapon. "In any case, it's our duty to stop you, so that the project will be completed. And now we may see where destiny and history will fall."

"You sound like you aren't sure about the outcome. I thought that all onelthes were seers who could see what was to come…."

This brought a smirk to Vira-Lorr's lips. "Yes…but I have not seen anything like that in years. I came to Pakrov Eminus because he became the only figure I could see…him, and a few who orbited him, people who are important in conjunction with him. That, and several possibilities of what is to come; both the destruction and salvation of this world. From what I've seen, Kain Lockeheart and Pakrov Eminus are the two figures of import—one will herald that destruction, and the other its salvation. Or maybe each will bring both."

Momo stared carefully at the other woman. "Well, maybe that's the nature of prophecy…but you're not making much sense."

Vira-Lorr chuckled. "Well, that's true…I am as confused as you, to be honest. But after I started seeing him as a focal point, I cautiously approached Pakrov Eminus. Although he himself would not admit it, he is rather different than most of the Obsidian Star's creatures. After traveling in the company of his ladies, I decided he was worth following. I don't believe in the Obsidian Star, or their mission; but neither do I reject it. I am simply keeping an open mind. The rest of these girls have weighed their natural inclinations against their loyalty to Eminus, and put their faith in him. It's not the same for me, not exactly. I'm not fooling myself by saying that the burning of this world will necessarily save it. I don't know that for certain. But it's a possibility. So, we're all in the same boat—we will do our part, and see how the ending writes itself. Whatever it takes for this world to survive…but if destiny declares its destruction, then we have to accept that, too."

Momo continued to stare curiously at Vira-Lorr. "The more I hear you…the more confused I am. Regardless, to me, the plot of the Obsidian Star is just as good as seeing the world destroyed. I won't let that happen. None of us will. So we'll defeat you…and put a stop to this."

Vira-Lorr's smile quirked. "Yes…let's see if you can."

8-8-8

The girl hit the ground roughly. Grumbling, she started to pick herself up and look around.

"Are you all right, Sannomiya- _san_?"

Shiho glanced up at Rei in surprise. "So, you're here, too…where are we? It feels cold…."

Indeed, they seemed to be within glacial valleys. Although the land around them seemed lit, there was only blackness above the walls over their heads, but a cold wind did whip at them. Shiho shivered and unsuccessfully tried to cover more of her legs with her meager skirt, while glancing over at Rei and envying her inhuman stoicism…and her full-body white 'flight' suit.

"By first sight, we are now outside of the Obsidian Palace," Rei remarked. "However…."

"That's right…we aren't," Shiho murmured, putting a hand to the ground. "This is a sub-space prepared within the Obsidian Star's home. We'll have to find a way out of it…."

"But it's not going to be that easy."

Two figures emerged from a pair of smaller passageways in the ice wall nearby, from opposite sides, surrounding them. Although largely undressed in a bustier with fishnet tights, the red-haired dark-skinned Lavinia seemed as unaffected by the cold as her far more modestly dressed fair-haired and –skinned sister. "We're going to stop you here," Faina insisted. "We have to…for Eminus- _sama_ …."

"Oh, give it a rest," Shiho sighed, surprising both elves. "You're going to go on about your pasts and what that brat means to you and why you're doing what you're doing. I don't care." She looked up, fire in her eyes and a cruel smile on her face. "Your reasons and your tragic pasts and your loyalties don't matter one bit to me. Your Obsidian Star hurt one of my friends…badly. And you're going to pay dearly for that." She pulled a small rod out from behind her and in a moment it grew into a full-size staff.

Lavinia stared at her, then chuckled. "Really…well, if we're to be blunt…your friend doesn't mean anything to us, so we don't care how angry you get." And then suddenly she was in front of Shiho, smirking even deeper. "Let's see if your righteous fury can stand up to our resolve and our 'tragic pasts'." She cupped her hands forward at Shiho's abdomen and a blast of dark energy assaulted her, throwing her away. She recovered quickly, but Lavinia drew forth a card and transformed it into a sword, then darted in pursuit.

"I'll help you, _Nee-chan_!" Faina insisted, but even as she transformed her card into a staff and began to chant, Rei was suddenly upon her, in her face and attacking.

"I'm sorry, but your opponent will be me."

Ice and snow blew into the air as the combat began.

8-8-8

Hikaru first noted the rows of armored soldiers. Armed with tall spears held aloft at attention and huge kite-shields, they appeared daunting and threatening guardians, and stood side-by-side in long lines on either side of him, turning the great courtyard where he now stood into a kind of wide but still confined alley. Almost a pity, considering the courtyard—one fitting of the shining, rather new-looking castle that surrounded him. They did not seem to be statues, but their unnatural stillness and attention suggested inanimate objects all the same. Still, they did not seem to be threatening him immediately, so he turned his attention to the young woman standing in front of the keep's great double doors. Standing there, her own spear held at attention in one hand and the other set imperiously on her shapely hip, was the auburn-haired warrior woman, Valeria, dressed in her black torso-covering body suit with her long black gloves and high black boots, and that white half-skirt billowing out behind her. Her long hair was ringed by her black headband.

"So, I ended up with one of the few men," Valeria sighed contemptuously. "Just my luck. I shall tell you right now, I will run you through immediately if you make any kind of an overture towards 'not fighting because I'm a woman' or anything of the sort…."

To her immediate surprise, Hikaru half-turned to her, setting his lead shoulder towards her like a shield, flipping his scabbarded sword at his side around into a draw position, and hunkering down slightly as he put a hand to the hilt, assuming an obvious ready combat pose. "Of course not," he said finally. "I was raised alongside two girls who were at least as strong with their respective martial arts as I was with mine. The thought of holding back 'because you're a woman' is alien to me. I was raised to be a 'gentleman', at least in the noble _samurai_ fashion, but in combat, I know full well that respect is shown by taking the opponent seriously. Are you ready?"

"Hmm." Valeria lowered her spear and took it up in both hands in a ready position. "How odd. You're not going to ask me about my reasons or anything of the sort? You're simply going to battle?"

Hikaru chuckled. "I've already spent some time with some of your friends, even fought alongside them. I've learned that the line between good and evil is not so easily defined as romantic novelists carelessly write. You have your reasons…and your loyalty to your leader, while remarkable, is no concern of mine. My friends, my family, my world—they depend on me going through you and stopping the Obsidian Star. I repeat: are you ready?"

Valeria chuckled herself. "Well, then…I won't waste any more time. Let's begin."

And the two charged together.

8-8-8

Ami recovered from her travel, and immediately rose, coming up with her visor equipped. It took in the…location. A village of modest wealth; like most of those in Arcanus Myrror, its construction was patchwork in material, cultural and historical context, as if pioneers were plucked from hamlets across time and space and stuck together to form a combined community. Ami's visor told her that this terrain was both real and false—the buildings were all physical enough, but they were constructed by magic for this unique, short-lived world. Everything was inherent to this sub-space, save her, and the woman standing across from her—Sherufanir.

"Ah, so I get the bookworm?" Sherufanir said cheerfully. "Well, if that's how it's going to be…I suppose we should get started." She drew forth one dagger and a card, which transformed at her command into a second dagger.

Ami leapt back, switching from her visor to her spear. "Is this…really necessary?"

"Hmm…necessary, is it? Perhaps so. These are the separate sides we've taken. I have sworn myself to Pakrov Eminus…and you, to Kain Lockeheart, yes? As long as this is the case, we are enemies."

Sherufanir dashed in. Ami desperately fought off her attacks. _('Sworn…to Kain Lockeheart? Literally, I suppose I am…but it's far more than that. To Kain Lockeheart, but more than that, to my friends. Kain-_ sensei _, and Yue, and Nodoka…Hinagiku-_ san _, Mai-_ san _, Momo-_ san _, Kagome-_ san _, Akari-_ san _and all the rest. This world…is not something I ever should have entered. All I wanted in life…was to pursue my schooling, become a doctor like my mother…a very normal, or as Yue might say, 'boring' life. I never…thought much about friends, early on…but I met Nodoka, and something clicked between us…and then we brought Yue in as well. My friends became so important to me that I didn't hesitate, no, not for one moment, to follow them into this magical world. Everything I've encountered here…every danger I've faced…it doesn't mean anything. Not if I can be just a small help to my friends. And as for this woman….')_

"That man," Ami panted as they struggled, "Eminus…he is so important to you?"

Sherufanir leapt back, hesitating slightly. "Important? Yes, I would imagine so. Why do you ask?"

"Why do I ask…? I suppose it doesn't matter, does it? But I guess for me…knowing my opponent's reasons is important." And Ami charged in to reinitiate the combat.

 _('Important…that doesn't even start to explain it. He is everything to us. Deep down, we all know that his actions are driven only by his manufactured loyalty to the Obsidian Star…that saving us arose from nothing, no emotion stronger than mere curiosity. And yet…._

 _('I am one of his more recent 'projects'. I was a teenager six years ago when I took up arms, like the rest of my community, against the forces of Halteese as we sought for freedom. It ended poorly for us…and I would have died, had he not come along. For us…for all of us…it's not a matter of 'important'. To us, he is everything…we have nothing else left in this world. Yes, because of that, even the destruction of this world means nothing. We would sacrifice it all for the sake of his dream.')_

Sherufanir pushed forward, her blades flashing. Ami repelled the attacks desperately. There was nothing else for it—there was no peaceful way to settle it, and no one would be coming to save her this time. She had to fight on her own.

8-8-8

Arika whirled around as the world about her settled into sanity again. "Yue- _chan_! Shiho- _chan_! Anyone!?"

She looked around in amazement at her new surroundings. She was in a kind of temple courtyard, with trees and fountains and a raised dais with the temple behind her. As she began to digest it all, two figures emerged into view on opposite sides of her, both purple-haired and dressed in black.

"Well…only one little mouse is given to us?" Ryuryu clucked, almost reprovingly. "Well, now…how disappointing. She isn't even one of the ones from Earth. All she is…."

"She cannot be dismissed," Kairen retorted. "She is the daughter of the Blue Sky Sapphire. She is of significance to Arcanus Myrror."

"Oh? Really? Hmm…."

Arika looked at them in surprise as she readied herself for combat, glancing back and forth between them. "You're…Obsidian Star!? What do you know about my mother!?"

"We know only the reputation," Kairen informed her. "We, too, are too young to know anything about her when she was alive."

"But it is quite an impressive reputation," Ryuryu added. "Rena Sayers, the Blue Sky Sapphire, was one of the finest HiME to graduate from Garderobe Academy. She assisted the likes of the Scarlet Crusade in purging our ranks…before her untimely disappearance. Well…if this is a person of such importance, than she, too, can go to Cosmo Entelecheia…."

"That…again…." Arika tensed slightly. For her, a simple-minded girl, but one recently rocked by tragedy, her images inside the dream-world had been little different than her daily life back at Garderobe. The sharp-tongued but supportive girl in her memory clashed with the one now bed-ridden, silent and unmoving. "You think that I'll…go back to someplace like that!? After what you did to Nina- _chan_ …!"

She began to rise up slowly into the air, turning first towards Ryuryu. Ryuryu cocked an eyebrow, drawing forth her card and transforming it into her deathscythe. Kairen did the same, manifesting her clawed gauntlets. "Well…I'm not sure what you're talking about…but it seems you're ready to fight. I suppose we should get on with it, then. Don't hate us for this…."

8-8-8

The courtyard was large and colorful, with blossoming trees of various species lining it. The banners at the keep were large and expressive, although, oddly, without any color or recognizable features. The black-haired woman standing at the front of the keep stood, holding her spear and shield—Elaine.

"Well…that makes three," Overcast chuckled. "Third time's a charm…was this intentional?"

"Yes…you again," Elaine replied. "Well, it wasn't my intent. We were simply sent out to receive those who would be sent to us from our trap. Regardless of anything else, we are to stop you here…it is our duty to the Obsidian Star."

She readied herself, but Overcast stood relaxed, considering her and the terrain around. "So...a fashioned world…if you're waiting here, that means it's for you. This is very much a Dalkian keep. But the identifying banners are covered. Still, I'd say the architecture and gardening are part of the Rubech family. So, is that your history, then? Your second name?" He glanced back at her again.

Elaine chuckled. "Senseless meddling…and sentimentality…well, nothing wrong with it, I suppose. I didn't choose this, but yes, it's a part of me. But it doesn't matter now…that life is all long past." She resumed her ready stance. "All that matters now…is our battle."

Overcast chuckled. "Yes. I suppose so." He stretched out a hand.

"More of those talismans?" Elaine mentioned. "They're quite troublesome, but I'm starting to get the hang of them…."

"No, no…I've pretty much used all those up. So I'll have to try something else." A small, miniature humanoid form, a female dressed in some kind of exotic entertainer's outfit, appeared in the air above his outstretched hand. It turned quizzically to him. "I require power for this battle. As offerings, I will give you the standard 3-rice meal, I will converse with you for thirty minutes, dance with you for fifteen, and take you on a walk around the Amphitheater Park…or at least what's left of it."

The tiny woman smiled and nodded. "Okay!" it agreed in a high-pitched voice. It hopped over Overcast and hovered in the air behind him, chanting and dancing.

Power began to pour off of Overcast as he readied himself. Elaine sighed. "One trick after another…now it's a contract _kami_ , a 'Mouse' as they're sometimes called? Well…you certainly keep things interesting. Here I come."

The two charged together.

8-8-8

The ruins. The devastation. The rocky, barren terrain surrounding it. And, of course, most prominently, the tower, rising above. For Erza, this was significantly different than all her fellows' new terrain experiences—in her case, it was something that she recognized from personal experience. She knew it well from that time years ago…and had seen it recently, as well. "The Tower of Heaven…this place, again…!?"

"It's rather sad, isn't it? Everybody got their own unique home, and I got this. Nostalgic, though, huh?"

Erza whirled around to stare at the woman standing across from her. She took in the short blue hair, the halter top and shorts, the fur-lined mantle, the boots and heavy gauntlets. It had been years, but she still recognized her instantly. "Noah!" she gasped.

"Heya, Erza," the blue-haired girl replied cheerfully. "It's good to see you again after all this time, although the circumstances could be better."

"…It's not the first time," Erza noted. "I didn't notice it then…but I did see you in the baths that day, but I didn't really realize it at the time. Still, after the fall of the tower I wondered…where you had gotten. You weren't…with the others…."

Noah shook her head. "No…I never believed any of Jellal's crap. I knew there was something wrong with him. So Thoma and I…we tried to get away. We managed it…more or less. That's a long tale…but when all seemed lost, we were rescued by…."

"The Obsidian Star…and Eminus, right?" Erza cut in, control finally returning to her voice. As Noah sighed and nodded, she continued, "That's to be expected…but what about Thoma? Is he…?"

"He's fine. He's…well, he's still sickly. He's been staying at an orphanage where Eminus left him, but I visit him regularly, with stories and trinkets."

"Well, that's good…but really, now, is that even proper? You and yours are plotting the destruction of this world!" She manifested a sword and pointed it at Noah. "Don't you realize that, if the Obsidian Star succeeds, he'll be lost along with the rest of Arcanus Myrror!?"

Noah sighed. "Well…maybe…but you saw it, right? Cosmo Entelecheia? We'll all live on in that. Thoma won't be sick anymore…he'll be healthy and active, able to see all those great sights for himself. We won't have any memories left of that hell tower…everything in this world will be just what we want it to be. Isn't that worth risking everything for? Paradise, peace…what everyone says they really are hoping to achieve? You may not like their methods, but that's really what the Obsidian Star will bring about. What they've begun…maybe it began with a race of demonic parasites consuming worlds, but now, what they've found here, what they're building…it's something much bigger than all of us."

"You say that," Erza retorted, "but do you really believe it? What Jellal was trying to do with the tower, the Obsidian Star is trying to do just the same thing with Cosmo Entelecheia! How is it any different!?" Noah stood silently for several seconds, not replying. "I see," Erza continued finally. "It's because of him, isn't it? I had hoped that you would have proved stronger than that." She manifested a second sword and took a ready pose. "It seems that our only destiny is to settle this with our swords. You've been sent to stop me, correct? Then do it…if you can."

"Right." Noah drew out a card, and, calling on it, armed her gauntlets with a pair of triple-bladed knuckle claws. "I've heard stories…let's see just how much you've grown, little crybaby Erza Scarlet…!"

8-8-8

"What is this? The humorous ragamuffin himself! What have you done with Minsc's witch!? What have you done with Aerie!?"

The terrain, which Minsc seemed to be totally ignoring, was the central market (currently sparsely occupied) of a town. The man standing opposite him was Winfield. Winfield looked at Minsc with a rather guilty and confused look. "Um…nothing? I'm sorry, forceful Minsc, I know nothing of what has become of your companion. All I know is my orders: we have been dispatched separately to deal with the intruders after they have been separated by our trap."

"What treachery!" Minsc howled. "To be separated from his witch, and to be set up and stabbed in the back by one who once fought at our side! Nothing is more terrible than the treachery of a former comrade-in-arms! Even Boo shakes with righteous rage, although, as small as he is, you cannot see him shake as visibly as Minsc. Nevertheless! All the hosts of Hell and the Obsidian Star shall not stand in my way! All those who stand against the right shall be swept aside like the dirt on the porch-step and we will be reunited with our witch! On this Minsc swears!"

"Ah…I'm no good at handling things like this," Winfield sighed. "People like him are too intense for me…why couldn't I have gotten one of those lovely young flowers instead…?" He cocked and readied his gun. "Well, we're here for combat, after all…I suppose we'll just have to settle this the hard way…."

8-8-8

The glowing blue cube appeared…and a moment later it faded, revealing Yoshimori and Tokine standing back-to-back. "What a trap," Yoshimori muttered. "We've been totally split up...and where are we…?" He glanced around at the elegant, round buildings spun about the trees about them, at various levels around them, at the dark, star- and moon-filled sky above them. "What is this place?"

"It's a syrium village," Tokine responded matter-of-factly. "The architecture is very distinct…." She glanced up at the sky. "…It must be an illusionary world. The time isn't right…the sky must just be for ambience, since they are 'the children of the night'…."

Yoshimori glanced almost sourly back at his friend. "How do you know that much about stuff like that…?"

"What? They're simple parts of Arcanus Myrror studies. You must have been taught something about them. Don't you pay any attention, Yoshimori- _kun_ …?"

"Well, excuse me! I don't know how you even keep your regular studies up so much with your other duties, Tokine- _chan_! I can barely keep up with my normal schoolwork, let alone any extracurricular stuff I don't need to know…."

"Well, how interesting…we hate to interrupt your lover's spat, but we didn't bring you here for this."

The two whirled, going back to back again as Zerva and Fyuria stepped into view on opposite sides of them. "Well…the _Kekkaishi_ , yes?" Fyuria murmured. "Interesting. I've never seen one of them before, and now we have two." She readied a card, and conjured it into her pair of wide-bladed daggers. "Let's make this quick; we might need to go assist some of the others…."

"Don't be hasty," Zerva admonished her as he transformed a card into a deathscythe. "These children are not to be underestimated. Even if they specialize in dealing with _yôkai_ and _mazoku_ , they have dangerous talents. They were chosen specifically for this mission. We must be wary…."

Yoshimori scoffed. "Yeah…be wary. Be really wary, because we're not here to play around!"

"Yoshimori- _kun_!" Tokine snapped.

"I know! Just relax, Tokine- _chan_ , and worry about yourself. We have to get past here to go help everyone else…."

"Okay." Tokine sighed and readied herself. "I don't like this…but we have no choice! _Ketsu_!" She cast a barrier towards Zerva, who dodged away.

"All right! Here we go!" And Yoshimori moved in himself. Another battle was joined.

8-8-8

The flowers on the trees bloomed in a myriad of vivid colors and vibrant shades. Hinagiku looked around at them in wonder. "This place…what is this?"

"It's a High Elf Garden—a paradise of eternal spring."

Hinagiku glanced over her shoulder. "Luana- _san_ …do you have something to do with this?"

The older girl smiled. "Well…more or less. It's a place I know well…one of the places we liked to visit. The high elves are among the oldest and most powerful, most magical races of Arcanus Myrror, and they have connections to this world and others far stronger than any other race. They have a multitude of various magical gifts in their race, but their druids and mages are particularly well-known for shaping the land and blessing it. They are capable of forming lands of eternal spring, where all trees and plants bloom as if it were their season. Of course, lesser-lived, greedy and ignorant races, like humans, see these lands of plenty and want only to exploit them. They have long since taken to sealing away their lands so they can't be reached. Only two or more high elves can unlock the seal and allow access to the land."

"Faina and I were able to unlock one of these lands," Ellis explained, stepping out from behind Luana with eerie stealth. "Several of us spent…a lot of time here when we weren't on duty for Eminus- _sama_. Since we were brought together…I guess Alvaris figured this place was the best kind of arena for us…."

Hinagiku quickly readied her weapon with the appearance of the new arrival. "You! So…this is the trap, then? I thought you were giving us honest information, Luana- _san_ …Nodoka- _san_ and Shiho- _san_ were ensuring it…."

"Everything I knew, yes, I offered freely," Luana confirmed cheerfully. "I knew it was pointless to resist. But this latest trap was just made…I knew nothing about it. After all, my side was quite aware of your powers and abilities; they knew that surrendering me to you would also surrender all my intelligence. Did you really think they wouldn't make new preparations after that?"

"…I suppose that's a point," Hinagiku admitted. "Well, once we're out of here we'll just have to see if you can help me reunite with my friends."

"I'm afraid that won't be happening," Ellis cut in. She extended a card towards Luana, and there was a flash of energy. Luana's bonds fell away and she took up the card, and a moment later she was wielding her two exotic blades.

Hinagiku stared in shock. "W-what!? Her artifact…we had it! Jade- _san_ was keeping it! How did you…?"

"You have entered our territory, fallen into our trap and come into the influence of the spirit in charge of our contracts," Ellis explained. "Alvaris was responsible for helping us to construct them all…it was easy for him to lay claim on his property and return it to us."

"That's how it is," Luana agreed. "Well, now that I'm free, I'm sorry, but I'll have to oppose you."

Hinagiku set her mouth and twisted her body, sliding into a ready position, and then sprang aside as Borgnine came falling down on top of her from behind. "Well…three-on-one," Hinagiku muttered as her opponents turned to follow her. "But you're not the most troublesome trio I'm used to. Don't underestimate me!"

An explosion of spiritual energy erupted around Borgnine, forcing him to jump back, and Isumi stepped forward. "Likewise, Saginomiya Isumi is present. Hinagiku- _kaichô_ is not alone."

"Never alone," agreed Kajirô as he stepped up next to Hinagiku. "You did a fine job of separating us, but you didn't have enough doors for everyone. Now it's three-on-three. Much more fair."

Ellis glanced around at the combatants. She sighed. "Well…it's come down to this, has it? I was hoping we could finish this quickly and without too much violence, but…that's not possible now. We fight to the finish…."

8-8-8

Chisame squawked while Nanami tried to keep her own exclamation silent as Kain touched down, one of each of them under his arms. He let them both down lightly as he glanced around. They were in…a completely black void. There was no sign of any features—no walls, floor, ceiling, or anything. Just an entirely black universe.

"T-thanks," Chisame muttered as she managed to get her legs underneath her. She looked around warily and wearily. "I guess it won't do any good to ask where we are?"

"A dimensional sub-space, cut off from normal worlds," Kain explained. "We were rather specifically scattered; I'm not sure where everyone else has ended up, but they were likely taken to separate worlds apart from this one to be dealt with by whatever defenses they've prepared."

"I assume you grabbed us because we were noncombatants," Nanami ventured. "Can't say I'm not grateful, but what about Izumi- _chan_ and the rest?"

"Even I, as I am right now, can't keep a watch on all of you," Kain replied easily. "So…."

"Right, that's why you were talking to Tsukimori and Heiro earlier," Chisame noted. "You entrusted them to their care. But do you think it did any good…?"

"Kiami reacts faster than anyone in our group, including myself. She already had her artifact out; Izumi, Kaoru and the rest are certainly safely in her hands. You two were the only ones too far from her to get swept up in it. Now that that's settled, we need to find a way out of here…."

"If it's a dimensional sub-space, you should be able to use your cloak to break us out of here, right?" Nanami asked hopefully.

"Well, normally, yes," Kain replied. "But this place…when it comes to warfare, sciences are all about measures and countermeasures, and magic is no exception. My father fought the Obsidian Star with this and other powers of space-time…this was probably made to counter that power. It's complicated, so it's going to take some work to figure my way out of this. Give me five minutes." He stopped suddenly and started looking up and around. "Sorry. Make it twenty. It's always harder to work distracted."

The two stared at him quizzically, then started as the black shapes began to appear around them. Shadows within the blackness were practically invisible, but they could just make out the moving shapes of the swarms.

"Keep your heads down," Kain instructed them as he stretched out his hands and let power flare off of them. "I will protect you both, so just relax and let me handle this."

With a torrent of inhuman screams, they came tearing down at the trio. Kain met them with his magic.

8-8-8

Eminus stood in the main control room, watching the several battles on viewscreens. Part of his mind surveyed the combat; the other part was on his memories. He recalled the tiny pink-haired elf child and her gargantuan guardian…the two syrium siblings and their crusade for their lost home…the orphaned girl who used glamour to hide her heart…the vagabond gunman and his cursed treasure…the child and her younger sibling fleeing the tower of death…the woman who forsook her kingdom and name…the twins born with the curse and blessing of their land…the rebellious crusader, constantly fighting her own nature…the lady knight betrayed by her peers…the elf sisters born as opposite sides of their mixed parents' coin…and the priestess ripped from a false sacrifice. Those who had sworn themselves to him…he found that he felt some trepidation about the battles.

"This is the final time," he murmured to himself. "If we succeed here, if we defeat this force, we have won—there can be nothing left to stop us. Is it simply…anticipation after all this time? Or concern for them?" He shook his head. "No…it does not matter. I must not mind it. For me, there is just one thing that matters…hurry up and come, Kain- _kun_. Even that trap can't hold you for long. We both want that…to decide the fate of this world once and for all between the two of us. Come, then…I'm ready to receive you…."

F I N

 _Author's Note: Beginning of the Battles_

 _Separating the characters out into their individual battles is a bit of a cumbersome task, but important for me. There weren't quite so many separations in the original work, of course—Negi had his break down early on, and was sitting around suffering (once again!) for quite a while before he finally got a hold of his power (finally!) and entered the final fight with Fate. Kain's conquered his demons already—and I don't plan to have most of the sudden revived big shots show up at the end. There's just the mixing with what I've got here, Eminus' ladies and largely the arrancar to fight the final battles. This chapter just hit his posse as we finish up examining his humanity. You may observe there are still many of Kain's students unaccounted for. We'll get to them and much of what is passing outside to finish up Act 15…and then finish up all these battles across Act 16._

 _Some quick observations/notes: Ellis' flashback acquiring was a combination of her intro in RoAW and the acquiring of Luna/Shiori by Fate in the original. In RoAW, there is no explanation for why Ellis is where she is; your first 'quest' in the game is, after rescuing her, to take her home to her high elf village and her grandfather, the headman. No explanation as to why the child was so far from home, who she was with or who might have been her guardian…so I gave her Shiori's mother (who did have this Psychometry power) and a bit of that, coupled with the Ellis summoning Borgnine bit. Some of the flashback and explanations have been hit by now, others we'll learn about later…with so many battles, I'm not going hog-wild on them, I'm just going to pick-and-hit as needed, depending on how much room I have to fill up. As I mentioned, this 'Final Dungeon' arc is going to include the entirety of Act 16 as well._

 _So, let's move on…and turn our attentions to the adults outside for a brief moment…._


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Seven: The Clash

Swords rang out and spells flew through the air as the assault force battled the Obsidian Star's creatures under the largely filtered dawn light above the palace. Shinji Hirako took advantage of a lull in the fighting to glance lazily around the battlefield. "Well…this isn't too hard. They don't seem to be trying much…that bolds ill for our assault team. But, if this keeps up, we'll be able to walk right into that palace ourselves before too long…."

And, as if on cue, sudden blackness exploded out of the sky, and over a dozen white-robed figures emerged from the phenomena. "Well, there we are…the arrancar, eh? That's a start…."

The largest one looked around and almost immediately sighted on Shinji with a wide grin. He charged in with a single 'sonído' step and then a rush, and punched at the captain. Shinji blocked Yammy's attack with his sword, but found to his surprise that the force of the blow was enormous, and it sent him flying. He recovered quickly but Yammy was already on him, and he retreated back a pace as the great arrancar pursued him.

"Ah, am I glad I got to see you!" Yammy exulted as he pressed his attack. "Time to get revenge for yesterday! I'll find some of the others like that Hat-and-Clogs later, but you'll be a great start!"

"Hoo boy…looks like I got a real crazy one," Shinji sighed. "Take it easy, would ya?" He dodged aside from one great attack. He took a moment to really focus on the giant. "…Is it just me, or are you bigger than yesterday?"

Yammy grinned at him as he turned that way. "Well, maybe. Does it matter?" He then punched towards Shinji, released his bala of compressed spiritual pressure.

Shinji blocked the attack with his off-hand and just managed to deflect it, but with effort. His hand smoked and he shook it, willing away the sting. "Yeesh! You're too intense. Guess I won't get to take it easy here."

"You better not," Yammy retorted gleefully. "Or I'll crush you too easily, and that would be boring."

"And for a second I thought it was going to be easy," Shinji sighed. "I should really learn not to open my big mouth…."

8-8-8

Shunsui, with Jûshirô flanking him, stared at the man across from him—the brown-haired man with the necklace and the lazy expression, the one who had kidnapped Mai last night. A girl was at his side, seemingly a preteen, and one scandalously clad in what were essentially briefs, fur-lined thigh-high boots and a vest that covered only her left and right sides (including her nonexistent breasts) and concluded at the top in a high collar. The girl completed her odd appearance with her short blond-green hair and the helmet, a white skull-like casque with two horns, the left of which seemed cut off quite short, and a black socket covering her left eye with an emblazoned flame rising from it up the helmet. She also had a small hollow hole visible in the center of her chest, and her visible eye was pink.

Shunsui spared a glance at the girl, then looked back up at the man. "That girl; can you send her away from here?"

Both foes looked at him with some form of confusion. "I can't fight seriously, with my full strength, with someone like her around; it's the same with you, right?" Shunsui continued.

"What!?" the girl barked angrily, growing furious in an instant.

"That's enough, Lillynette," the man admonished her with ennui.

"But, Starrk…!" Lillynette pressed.

"That's fine," Starrk continued, seemingly ignoring her and slowly drawing the sword at his side. "You don't have to fight at full strength. I won't fight seriously, either."

Shunsui narrowed his eyes at the man. "I see…so that's how it is, huh?"

"That's how it is," the arrancar agreed. "To be honest, I hate troublesome things like fighting. I'd rather just play around and pretend to fight, and let everyone else do their thing."

Jûshirô started in shock. "Y-you can't be serious…!" he began, but Shunsui suddenly cut him off, laughing and clapping his hands.

"That's great! I'm the same way. I really hate to fight, and get hurt. I'd love to just play around." Then he lowered his head to hide his face, and then slowly raised it, his smile faded, his levity gone. "But I can't this time. Sorry." And he drew his sword.

Starrk stared rather sullenly back at his foe for a moment, then raised his sword. "I see…if that's how it goes…this is going to be a pain…."

8-8-8

The blonde Harribel and her three attendants emerged from the strange black gateway as it faded away. Shizuru and Haruka, involved in their competition (rather, Haruka following the blasé Shizuru, harassing her about the competition), were nearest and turned to the four white-clad ladies. Apparently the trio had, like Yammy, received wonderful treatment for their arms since last night.

Haruka and Shizuru stared as they considered these new arrivals. Then Tôshirô and Rangiku appeared next them. "Well…they're back," Tôshirô muttered. "These…."

"Those girls in front…they have access to a real monster, don't they?" Shizuru murmured. "They probably won't be so difficult, but their pet is another matter. Young Captain…why don't you take on their leader while we deal with the other three?"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Haruka suddenly insisted. "Why does this kid fight the leader!?"

"I agree with Shizuru- _san_ , Captain," Rangiku added, apparently ignoring Haruka. "We'll handle them; you deal with the head arrancar there."

Tôshirô glanced back at the three of them. "Right. Watch my back, then." And he stepped past the leading fracción and moved to engage Harribel.

"Let's go, Haruka," Shizuru pressed as the three turned in anger towards the white-haired captain. "You wanted a competition? Let's see how we can keep up with these…trying to gang up on the one isn't any fun, is it?" Then, without waiting for a reply, she charged in on Apacci, leaving Haruka sputtering protests but following her in to engage Mila-Rose. Rangiku, smiling slightly, flanked Sun-Sun.

Harribel drew her sword to battle Tôshirô. "So…young Captain, you are my opponent? Come…let's see how you do…."

8-8-8

Surrounded by his six warriors, the tall, stout arrancar surveyed the scene. He seemed old, aged, with a thick white mustache and white hair. A scar ran across one eye vertically, closing it, and the dark-skinned 'man' had a mask remnant, like the rest of the arrancar, and his was in the shape of a crown against his forehead. He gave a dismissive exhale of breath and raised one hand, snapping his fingers. Two of his waiting fracción took up and unrolled a line of cloth, and it expelled…a collection of bones, which of their own seeming volition, massed together in the air until they formed a great throne of bone. The would-be king sat upon it. "Well, look at them…so many ants milling about here. These insects threaten us? How laughable. We will smash them with dragons. Poww…Chuhlhourne…Avirama…Findor…crush them, starting with the four closest ones."

" _Hai_!" the four called in unison. "As you wish, your Majesty!" And they took off in four directions. Two of the fracción remained behind.

8-8-8

The largest of the four, Poww, came streaking in like a meteor and impacted in front of Ikkaku Madarame. The bald man looked up at the massive arrancar as he rested his transformed _zanpaku-tô_ , in spear form, across his shoulder. "Whoa…you're a big one. I just pray you're as tough as you look."

Poww, with a long narrow face adorned with a strange mask-like chin guard and thin, sleepy eyes, gazed down at Ikkaku. "Pray? Whom do _hinigami_ , 'Death Gods', have to pray to?"

This counter brought Ikkaku up short, and he gave serious consideration to the question. "Huh…come to think of it…we really don't have any gods to pray to…." Finally a look of triumph crossed his face. "Hey! I know! I'll just pray to _your_ god!"

"Yes," Poww said emotionlessly, "that is fine, then. Our god is the king, and he knows better than anyone that you have no chance against me."

Ikkaku readied himself, staring up at the huge man through narrowed eyes. "…Is that so…?"

8-8-8

Findor, his face covered by a real mask-helmet that covered the upper half of his head, looking quite like a traditional 'Gundam villain' mask, with long blond hair trailing from the back of his helmet, appeared to confront Renji, who still wielded his sealed _zanpaku-tô_. Renji stared back at his foe, noting his oddest accoutrements: the prong-like blades emerging from the wrists of his white full body suit.

"Let me ask you something," Findor said. "Am I right in believing you to be a lieutenant of the Gotei 13?"

"That's right," Renji replied. "Abarai Renji, lieutenant of 6th Company."

"I see. Then I shall do you the favor of battling you at the level of a lieutenant."

8-8-8

The gorilla-like Chuhlhourne, with his long wavy midnight hair and square, extra masculine face, pirouetted and spun in a very effeminate manner as he approached Yumichika Ayasegawa. His tight, bell-bottomed pants and short-sleeved half-shirt revealing his chiseled abs and overly-muscled lower torso completed the sad, pathetic, and disturbing image of a manly man somehow desperately attempting to be feminine…as did his eye liner and fake eye lashes.

"Okay, okay, okay!" he shouted, clapping his hands together repeatedly. He made a pose. "Over here, please! I'm Charlotte Chuhlhourne, King Barragan's top fracción."

He finally paid attention to his opponent, who had his back to him…quite rigidly and determinedly. "Hey." He moved around energetically, swerving to the front of Yumichika and observing him rapid-fire from multiple angles. "Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey."

What he was taking in was Yumichika with his eyes forced shut, his face squeezed up in disgust. "It's my policy not to look at ugly things," he stated flatly.

Chuhlhourne stared at him. Then he slapped him, hard, against the face, sending his head lolling to the side.

Yumichika clutched at his wounded cheek, his eyes flying open in rage. "What was that for, you bastard!?"

"That's my line!" Chuhlhourne howled back. "Calling me ugly when we first met!? Now listen! What's really ugly…is judging others based on how they look. That's right. It's your soul that's ugly."

While Charlotte was monologuing, Yumichika had returned to scrunching his face up into blindness. Enraged, Chuhlhourne drew his sword and charged in, but Yumichika blocked the strike with his own blade.

"I'm saying something profound here! Look at me, you ugly witch!"

"I heard what you said, and it wasn't profound at all, you Sasquatch!"

8-8-8

The fourth member of Barragan's fracción, Avirama, had found Rukia Kuchiki. The man's mask was in the form of a hawk-faced helmet that covered his scalp and forehead. He was also muscular and shirtless, and his torso was covered with tattoos. Rukia stared at him in disgusted shock as he postured, grunted, and roared. "Oooohhh! I'll hit you! I'll crush you! I'll kill you!"

After about a minute of such inanities, he stopped and stared down at his silent and still opponent. Fuming, he pointed at her suddenly. "Hey! Why aren't you doing it with me, you sour-faced hag!?"

"Doing what? That stupid screaming thing?" Rukia replied with distaste.

"Stupid!? Are you serious!? Are you snubbing me!? This is a ritual! It's how two warriors inspire each other! By screaming out their intent to kick each other's butts! Now, this time, you do it with me…."

"No way," Rukia said, cutting him off. "Really, 'scream out their intent to kick each other's butts'? Why should I have anything to do with such a stupid ritual?"

Avirama sighed in disgust. "How'd I get stuck with such a bossy, uncooperative woman? Oh, fine. I'm Avirama Redder, one of King Barragan's fracciónes. What's your name, _Shinigami_?"

"Kuchiki Rukia, lieutenant of 13th Company," Rukia replied crisply.

"Kuchiki?" Avirama surveyed her with renewed interest. "That's…the captain who was part of the Red Wings, right? You must be the little sister. I heard he was a thorn in the side of the Obsidian Star, but…he and the Kuchiki clan can't be all that. Not if the sister is such an ugly little coward…."

Rukia suddenly flashed by Avirama, slashing him across the cheek, even cutting off a wing of his helmet-like mask that hung down between his ear and cheek. Avirama glanced over his shoulder in surprise, and Rukia turned her head to stare back, venom in her narrowed eyes. "You can say whatever you want about me…I really don't care. But if say another bad word about the Kuchiki or _Nii-sama_ …you won't live to regret it."

Avirama stared for several seconds…then a large smile stretched across his face. "Well…I like that look. Looks like you got some backbone after all…." He drew his sword as he turned to her. "Scrape the summit, Aguila [Eagle]!"

8-8-8

The two remaining fracción stood by the throne, glancing between the growing battles. One was larger, not as tall as Poww, but bulkier and stouter, the other thin, smaller than all the rest, even the slender Findor. "Your Majesty…there are still plenty of enemies to fight," the thin one noted. He had a kind of shortsword for a blade and his most prominent feature besides his dark blue hair was his mask, a helmet that rather seemed to be a skull of a saber-toothed tiger. "Why are we being left behind?"

Before their king could reply, a pair of presences suddenly appeared in front of them. The two fracción slowly looked up to stare at the two figures floating in the air. "Well, it would seem like this self-important king needs bodyguards," Mary-Katherin said brightly.

Barragan gave an amused snort of derision. "And there is your answer, Ggio. Because there are plenty enough enemies who will come to us."

Natsuki readied herself. "You're expecting us…but it's not going to help you any. We'll defeat you right here."

There was a brief lapse of action as the two sides stared at each other. "Kill them," the arrancar leader declared. "Don't leave any of them alive. If you fail, you'll have no home to return to. Do not disappoint me. Drench the ground with the blood of our enemies. Say it! Whom do you serve!?"

"Sir!" the two declared in unison. "We are King Barragan Luisenbarn the Great's fracciónes! We will annihilate our enemies and cover this battlefield with their bloody carcasses!"

The two split off, Ggio moving to engage Natsuki and the other going after Mary-Katherin.

8-8-8

Kenpachi cut down the great, dragon-like beast and turned to the energy he could feel rising from the distant battles. "Well…seems like things are getting busier over there. Maybe it's time for me to join in the fun…."

Suddenly a great blue figure charged in, racing on all fours across the air similar in the way the arrancar and Soul Reapers did, and slammed into Kenpachi, sending him flying. Kenpachi impacted against an asteroid. After a few seconds he emerged, seemingly unharmed, and stared back at his assailant. It was semi-upright, rather like a humanoid-bull hybrid, with horns and a nose-ring, ornate armor, and a kind of flail—really, a heavy, lit lantern on a thick chain—attached by a wrist-ring.

"That was a good hit," Kenpachi said. "So you want to play now, huh? Bring it on." He swung his sword to point it toward his distant foe, his face moving to accommodate his great, manic grin.

The beast growled. "I am the Obsidian Star's creature, Spirit Breaker. You wish to battle the Beast of All Worlds? Then prepare yourself." It reared back its head and body, roaring…and in a sudden instant there was an explosion as Spirit Breaker instantly was standing behind Kenpachi, slamming the man once again from behind with his flail.

But Kenpachi blocked the attack with his sword behind his back. He glanced back over his shoulder at his foe. "I'm always ready for a good fight, Space Cow. Don't die too quickly, now!" And he whirled on the beast, his sword flashing.

8-8-8

The creature was humanoid, armored and masked, but its legs gave it away as obviously inhuman: they were somewhat feline in appearance and certainly animal, with the 'knees' crooking the opposite direction just as the hind legs of quadrupeds normally did. It carried two elaborate, wicked-looking elbow blades in its hands as it surveyed its foe.

Byakuya Kuchiki returned the stare with his cold gaze. "You are…one of what the Obsidian Star calls its 'knights'. You have the audacity to challenge me?"

"I am the Bloodseeker," replied the knight, its revealed lower face showing sharp white teeth that flashed as it grinned. "Whether it is spiritual or physical, I will drain you dry, and offer it to my masters."

"So you suppose," Byakuya replied, readying his sword. "Come. Let us see if you are capable."

8-8-8

The mages of Mahora Academy were busy as ants…but futilely busy, for the large part. Some of them were working hard at information manipulation, trying to promote excuses for the glowing Mahora Tree. Others were trying to delve further into the cause. Most of the rest were making emergency preparations…but for what emergency, they couldn't even guess.

But then it came. The glow around the tree intensified…and then a pillar of light surrounded the tree and shot into the air. It ballooned out in the sky above, and a shape began to appear in the midst of that mass of light, shining clearly in the darkening sky of dusk. The shape…was the floating island of Eldrant.

As the 'normal' citizens of Mahora stared up in wonder, loudly asking if some new end-of-summer event were suddenly in the works, magic operator Nutmeg stared up in shock and fear. "I-I've seen pictures of that castle…in books and papers back in the old country…that's…the Obsidian Palace!"

Alyssa stood on a roof, staring up at the castle with a smile while Miyu flanked her, as neutral and robotic as ever. "Well…what an interesting turn of events. To think that the two worlds would connect so in this place…that must mean…that the Obsidian Star has regained the Crystal Princess. This flow of magic is refreshing…but what are you up to, Boy? Are you really going to let things go on like this?"

As her powers returned, she let her inhuman senses roll out, searching. She recognized and passed over many presences, not really caring much for their individual statuses, but instead sought out the life that was most interesting to her….

And then, in one moment, she perceived not one, but two very familiar and yet at the same time very different pulses of life. She stiffened and her eyes flew open in shock. Miyu stirred and looked at her youthful master. "Alyssa- _sama_?"

"Kalan…and Kain…the both of you…what the hell has happened to you? Even tucked away, I can feel you now…."

8-8-8

The principal alighted on another roof, his son next to him. A moment later, Jynx faded into existence on his other side—the rushing influx of magic from Arcanus Myrror was returning 'Festival conditions' to Mahora, and like Alyssa, this granted him renewed mobility. "This…is a grave situation," he noted.

"This is the very definition of a grave situation," Kensuke replied. "The buildup of mana and the manipulation of world boundaries has finally connected this place to the other side."

"It's the Obsidian Palace…but I don't recognize that land mass," Eishun noted. "It looks somewhat like Orimus, but…warped somehow…."

"Likely…a magical replication of the flying country," Jynx mused. "I've read theories…just what have they accomplished?" Then he fell silent suddenly before continuing, "…They're fighting…."

"Who?" Kensuke demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"Kain, and all his comrades. They're battling the Obsidian Star's forces in the heart of their fortress. They're trying to rescue her…Mai…."

8-8-8

Chisame hunched down, tapping away at her laptop as Kain continued to battle the fiends around him. What she finally found shocked her. Nanami was dividing her attention between the other girl and Kain, but she noticed Chisame's widening eyes. "What's up, Chiucchi?"

"Kain- _sensei_!" Chisame snapped out, and the boy glanced back at her while rather casually fending off the hordes around him.

A brief blast of energy cleared a momentary peace. "What's the matter, Chisame?"

"I've managed to hack a feed to the world outside," Chisame began, rambling breathlessly. "Even though we're in a sealed subspace, the very fact that an outside magic is maintaining this world means that there's a connection I can…."

"Forgive me being short, but I get the general idea," Kain snapped out. "What's the issue?"

Chisame swallowed her reply and turned her laptop to show him the picture. "I've accessed some cameras around the city. See that?"

A magical light was rising from the island of Eldrant, shooting a great pillar into the sky. At the height of the pillar, an image appeared…upside-down, but it was the land of Mahora Academy, with the tree plainly returning the light.

Nanami stared at it. "What's that mean…?" she gasped.

Kain was silent a moment. "It means we're running out of time. The worlds have been connected…the union has started…."

8-8-8

"There's no mistake," Alyssa murmured. "Even behind that closed-off sub-space, I can feel such an outrageous power. Pure mana, far beyond what a human can possibly produce…and more than that, Infernal energy. What on earth could possibly have convinced him to sacrifice humanity and mortality…?"

"Kain- _sensei_ has crossed over to the side of demons?" Miyu asked for clarification. As Alyssa nodded confirmation, she continued, "Well, is that not something to be celebrated? With this, the bond between you will deepen and the distance between you narrow…."

"Sometimes I think Caria puts weird thoughts in your head just to spite me!" Alyssa snapped, turning on Miyu in rage. "Real demons don't have any kinds of bonds like that, and wouldn't want them anyway!" She turned back to the image above, frowning and crossing her arms. "Still, there's something fishy about it. The other energy he's producing…in order to make up for his mental walls and his mortal limitations, to reach that highest level in a short time, he'd need a power like Infernal power or pure magic infused into him. But both? Something obviously went horribly wrong for the boy. But to have _mazoku_ power acting like that….?"

"What's _mazoku_?" Risa demanded suddenly from next to her.

"Is that some kinda new energy technology?" Kanade continued.

Alyssa jumped. "Y-you _bakas_! What are you doing here!?"

"Didn't you call us back?" Kanade reminded her.

"That image in the sky is so amazing!" Risa said, staring up at it. "My horoscope said that today would be the scene of something just absolutely incredible, and look! Do you know what it is, Alyssa- _chan_?"

"W-why should I know anything about it?" Alyssa grumbled.

"You just look like you knew something about it," Kanade pressed.

"Now, now, don't bother her," Rakasu pleaded with them as she set up a telescope on the edge of the roof. She peered through it at the floating city above. "Alyssa- _chan_ can't tell you any more about that than I can."

"That's probably true," Alyssa muttered.

"Well…I bet it's a kind of UFO!" Kanade burst out. "An alien mothership is invading!"

"Hmm." Rakasu stared intently into the telescope. "Well, I wanted to check to make sure, but we definitely need to get inside and out of the way here. Or make other preparations if we're going to stay."

"Huh? Why is that?" Kanade demanded.

"Because that alien mothership, or whatever it is, is sending invaders down at us."

Indeed, tiny bat-like shapes were starting to flow from the image above, growing bigger and becoming clearly demonic beasts as they neared the ground….

8-8-8

Panic began to spread quickly as the demonic beasts arrived, smashing into buildings, tearing up cars, and, naturally, assaulting any living things they encountered.

A small group of middle-school girls were running from the bat-winged monster that pursued them. The girl at the rear finally tripped and fell, and as her friends fractured, some abandoning her, others trying to help her up, she turned to stare in horror at the approaching demon. It reached out for her….

"Magic Arrow: Water Element!"

Magic missiles infused with the magical essence of water impacted the creature, apparently inflicting lethal damage, for the beast fell back, disintegrating. A girl in her early teens with medium-length black hair and glasses and carrying a colorful wand alighted on the ground where it had just stood. Megumi Natsume turned to the staring girls. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Y-yeah…" murmured the shocked clumsy one as she finally made it to her feet. "W-who are you…?"

"J-just a passing ally of justice!" their rescuer replied, hoping none of her _sempai_ here would recognize her. "Just call me Nutmeg!"

Then a half-dozen more of the beasts impacted behind her. She whirled around in fear, readying a desperate defense…but then all six went flying, scattered in multiple directions. Three middle-aged men remained where they once were. "A-and who are _you_?" Megumi breathed. "W-wait…you're…."

"Just some passing martial artists," Kôtarô Hakami said with a large grin.

"Every time we come to Tokyo, it seems something interesting happens," added Keisuke Ogata.

"We were in the neighborhood," finished Serge Devaux. "It's only natural for gentlemen to lend a hand to ladies in distress."

8-8-8

Martial artists from Yokohama weren't the only familiar saviors of the ordinary folk going into battle. As demons began to swarm, mecha straight from the School Festival also appeared in their path, ordered and prepped for combat by none other than Caria, who seemed quite gleeful that her creations were suddenly mobile again…and of use to Mahora Academy.

Rakasu, dressed in a rather more elaborate dress, rode one six-legged mecha, and after it had saved a group of cowering students and cleared out the demonic invaders, she greeted the teens and apologized for the impromptu scare of the 'sudden new event' they had established to celebrate the end of summer.

The principal, Jynx and Eishun watched the fuss. "Luckily, it seems you've got an impressive impromptu force," Jynx chuckled. "Things would get pretty ugly with just the troops you've still got around, although they are handling themselves well. But those fighting masters came around at precisely the right time. And then there's Caria. The repowered World Tree is allowing her robots to activate again, and now she's turning them on those enemies. Although, come to think of it…I thought they were all destroyed, or at least that any left would have been confiscated by the school…."

The principal chuckled himself. "Well, they were…but not destroyed. Those with governmental responsibilities who are forced to confiscate interesting weapons are always loathe to dispose of them, just in case, so it's no surprise that they're still around. As you say, without a strange world-traveling spirit like Sanada Sakura around to pull her astray, Caria- _chan_ is free to assist us."

"Still, we're blessed with supernatural fortune," Eishun pointed out. "These demons aren't likely to pull any punches, but the response has come out quickly enough that there have been no casualties. Still…how long can this continue…?"

Jynx looked out again and started laughing. "What, you never sent back those anti-spirit weapons, either?"

Down below, Rakasu was now, with the help of her classmates, announcing that the Festival event was being resurrected here and encouraging the students to participate, handing out those self-same weapons Jynx was talking about. The anti-spirit weapons were perfect for unsummoning magical creatures come from an artificial magic universe that could not even exist without the presence of the World Tree's mana flare (and whatever event was coming from the other side that caused it).

"Of course not," a new voice announced before the principal could explain this. Miyu alighted down next to them, holding Alyssa in one arm, the little demon child gripping her guardian's neck. "Just like Caria's toys," Alyssa continued, "they couldn't let those things go…excellent foresight, for a change. Those weapons plus the 'costumes' which are actually protective robes should keep the problems down. Of course, collateral damage is still a real possibility this time. Sakura honestly wanted to avoid hurting anyone or anything. These won't care."

"It almost sounds like it was your idea," Jynx murmured.

Alyssa ignored him. "In any case, all we can do is hold them off. This won't end…until _they_ do something about him. Or until the Obsidian Star wins." She swept her gaze on all three of the human men. "Speaking of which, I think it's about time you start talking." As they raised their eyebrows at her, she continued, "Just what, exactly, is hidden underneath that tree?"

F I N

 _Author's Note: Battles Underway_

 _Not too much more to note here. As I said last chapter, this is just setting up most of the fights, and they'll be concluded in Act 16. The ones outside will be hit upon less than those inside—and large amounts of the arrancar-Soul Reaper battles will follow their Bleach originals—but I feel obligated to at least touch on them._

 _The flash over to Mahora and Earth is following a larger part of original Negima canon, but somewhat early—it didn't hit this point until Fate and Negi were already in the midst of their epic final battle. I'm setting the stage earlier because of…largely, how the feel of the ending battles is intended. It should all become clear._

 _A few more situations to set up, and then we'll break this Act to prepare for the next, the thrilling end of this conflict…._


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Chapter Eight: Beginning of the End

Natsu looked around through narrowed eyes. "What's happened here? Where am I now?"

He was alone…not even Happy was with him. He was in a dark hallway with many marbled pillars and some sort of stone crossbeams above him in the high ceiling. A supernatural light lit the tunnel without giving any evidence of its source or origin. As he considered this, Natsu suddenly sniffed the air and frowned.

"Something stinks…it smells like those arrancar guys…." Suddenly he perceived movement above him, some lithe and agile form dancing from crossbeam to crossbeam over his head. He glared up that way. "Hey! Who's there!? Show yourself!"

And then the figure did, more or less…and not intentionally. A foot slipped on the next crossbeam, and with a comical, cartoonish cry he fell from the great height and crashed into the ground, immediately obscuring himself with a great cloud of dust. As Natsu stared in sullen shock at the sight, the unfortunate man's voice began to emerge from the smoke, trying to imitate some kind of dramatic theme music: "Dun…dun-dun-dun…dun-dun-dun-dun-dun…dun-dun…hey!" And the smoke cleared, showing the man in a strange, dramatic pose, his hands cupped around, one raised and his head turned to the side with closed eyes and a triumphant expression.

He was an adult but relatively youthful man in appearance, with his maturity showing mostly through the thin goatee and mustache he sported. Like all arrancar, he seemed to favor little but white, although his appearance was made unique largely by the frilled ends of his sleeves, the kind associated with old Western clothing. His broken arrancar mask was in the form of a plate covering his forehead. He ceased his pose and pointed an accusing finger at Natsu as the younger man continued staring. "Hey! You! What are you doing? You just sit and stare after witnessing the great Dordoni's grand entrance!?"

"Grand? You just fell on your face…" Natsu muttered.

"You feign composure!?" Dordoni pressed over the top of Natsu's qualification.

"I'm not 'feigning' this 'composure'…."

"Hmph. Fine." Dordoni let his anger go quickly and straightened up. "It seems you have no appreciation for the finer things, but it doesn't matter since you're about to be crushed." He put a hand proudly to his chest. "I am Dordoni Alessandro del Socaccio, faithful arrancar of Homura Nagi and his Majesty, the Obsidian Prince."

Natsu let fire wrap around his hands. "Heh. Fine. I was itching for a good fight of my own, anyway. You don't look that tough, but whatever…."

"Don't look that tough!? How dare you!" Then Dordoni's comical emotional outburst disappeared and he smiled slyly at Natsu. "Don't judge a book by its cover… _Niño_."

8-8-8

Lucy groaned and sat up. "Ouch…what's with that? A mass-transit spell of some sort?"

She glanced around at her surroundings. A huge chamber, rather bleak-looking, and adorned only by huge white pillars that somehow did not quite stretch all the way to the expansive ceiling far, far above. "What is this? Am I alone?"

"Nope! I'm here!"

Lucy glanced up at the flying blue cat. "Happy, huh…well, considering we're in super dangerous territory, you're less than no help. Anyway…this is a pretty standard tactic the Obsidian Star likes, huh…divide and conquer…."

There was a laugh high above, equal parts melodious and annoying. Lucy looked up fearfully, instantly recognizing what had to be her opponent. It was a woman, in a knee-length, wide-bottomed dress, pure white; no hole was visible, but between this and the white barrette in her hair, it seemed that she was one of those 'arrancar' that had recently bolstered the Obsidian Star's army. Her unique appearance was accented by thigh-high socks and garters, and the two white 'wings' that emerged from the back of her dress. Her shoulder-length, midnight-blue hair framed a face that might have been attractive had it not been gripped with a sneering, hatefully haughty glare. "Well," the woman gloated, pulling at the whip she held in her hands. "This is the toy that I got? How disappointing…that I, Cirucci Sanderwicci, should have to clean up mere trash like you…."

"Oh, no!" Happy cried in distress. "We're all split up, and I got stuck with the weakest possible person!"

"I really don't want to hear that from you," Lucy replied darkly, but quickly turned her attention back to Cirucci, grabbing at her keys hanging at her belt. "No help for it," she muttered. "If I'm by myself, I'll have to do my best, too…as a Fairy Tail wizard!"

8-8-8

And Grey also found himself facing an arrancar foe in a more barren chamber, a man who called himself Gantenbainne Mosqueda. The unique features of this arrancar included darker skin, a huge orange afro, thick sideburns and a goatee, and a white suit with massive frills around his collar and thighs. He also wore a goggle-shaped headpiece for his 'mask', one with no 'lenses' but with a blue star in its center. His weapon consisted of a pair of dual-pronged punch daggers that hung from his wrists via a kind of hinge.

"You're loco, man," the arrancar stated after a brief initial skirmish, where his strength seemed prevalent. "A human, unable to even use sonído…there's no way you can match up to an arrancar…certainly not to me."

"You guys are all the same," Grey retorted, tossing his recently-recovered shirt away and cupping his fist down near his waist. "Always talking big. But don't dismiss me because I use magic instead of spiritual powers like yours. I'm Grey Fullbuster, a mage of Fairy Tail, and I'll be your opponent…."

Gantenbainne surveyed his foe carefully. "What, does stripping release your true power or something? Whatever. We'll let strength decide that, shall we? In the name of God, let us have a fair fight." His punch daggers flipped over to ready position and he set himself, then charged in as Grey prepared his spell….

8-8-8

Mist surrounded her, completely obscuring her vision. Erika whirled around frantically. "Hina! Kain- _sensei_! Anyone!?"

The mists finally cleared, and her eyes flew open in shock. "T-this is…!"

There was still a dull fogginess in the air, but at least her surroundings were visible…it was her own Sendô grounds, the place that had been her home and prison for most of her life.

"Ah, it's no good, Erika- _ojô-sama_ …there's really no one here but you and me…."

Erika whirled around, calling on her artifact. There was no surprise in seeing her opponent. "Kinue…what is this? Where are we?"

Kinue smiled from behind her spectacles. "This is a sub-space created by our side so we can have our own private little battles. For me, it's a perfect reward…just what I've been waiting for…."

Erika tensed and dipped her posture even more. "…Really? And yet you haven't even drawn your sword yet. After all this time, you're still underestimating me?"

Kinue laughed. "Oh, no, not at all! In fact, just as I said last time, I have a present prepared…to commemorate our final encounter…."

She brought out a new longsword from behind her and drew the curved blade forth. There was an explosion of dark, demonic energy. The aura crested from the sword to surround her. Erika staggered under the force of it and stared at Kinue in shock. "W-what is this…?"

"This is the demon sword Muramasa, the blood-hungering blade," Kinue explained. "Emi- _kun_ found it for me. It is the perfect weapon for one like me, a human who has abandoned her humanity in her lust for violence. You've really come along, Erika- _ojô-sama_ …between your new skills and your artifact, quite honestly, I truly can't match you anymore. But this makes us both monsters…an equal match. Now, we can enjoy our final confrontation. Kill or be killed…it doesn't matter which. So let's make the most of it!"

Wielding her new sword in one hand and the scabbard in the other, Kinue charged in. Erika had naturally realized that Kinue's abilities would be enhanced, but she had not anticipated just how much, and she was unprepared for the attack when it came—nor, even after she managed to block with Beniarashi, the strength that would accompany the attack. Erika was sent flying, crashing into a pillar and disappearing in the midst of the rubble.

"Come now, Erika- _ojô-sama_!" Kinue cooed as she pursued the girl. "You have to do better than that! Don't even think about holding back or playing the human…only a monster can fight a monster…."

As she came upon the rubble, an explosion met her and repulsed her. Erika emerged, whirling her polearm around in a wide flourish. Her eyes blazed red. "You're right, Kinue- _nee-san_. This is the final fight…there's no backing out. If I want to reunite with my friends and return to my home…I'll just have to go over your fallen form." And she charged to meet her.

8-8-8

Jade glanced around calmly at the beakers, the whirring computers, the giant churning flasks, the preserved specimens. He pushed at the bridge of his glasses. "Your laboratory is as distasteful as ever, Saphir."

Dist and his chair floated into view. "Mock me as you wish, oh great traitor Jade! I know it's only sour grapes…after all, I have finally accomplished what you never could: perfect Replication! The island of Eldrant, the reborn true land of Orimus, and its greatest soldiers! And this is only the beginning…once the unification of the seven worlds has been completed, the greatest heroes and warriors of the legendary kingdom will be restored to rule over it and the enlightened, chosen human race that remains…."

Jade sighed. "Really, now…I didn't really expect you to be drinking Van Grants' Kool-Aid so heavily. Tell me, was it your decision, then, to have me summoned here when we were scattered by that trap? Was I brought so that you could boast and monologue me to death? It's probably your most lethal ability, after all…."

"Your mockery continues, but it will soon be meaningless!" Dist snapped. "Well, truth be told, not all of your destinations were pre-chosen…I'll commend you for your force, as it was too large to manipulate _everyone_ 's destinations. Some were allowed to be scattered rather randomly about the place. But I'm quite glad you came to me, Jade…you're just in time to witness my masterpiece…and as you bask in my hour of triumph, you can apologize for your failures and betrayals on your way to the grave…behold!"

One large apparatus loomed behind Dist, covered by some sort of massive sheet. As the madman made his declaration, he suddenly pulled at the fabric, freeing the apparatus from its cover and revealing its nature: a massive, liquid-filled glass sphere that contained a humanoid figure. Jade's eyes widened in shock and fear as he beheld it. It was a human woman, in general appearance approaching middle-age but quite beautiful, with short, rather unkempt platinum-blond hair and a full-bodied figure. However, a few inhuman features marred her appearance, particularly the one wing that emerged from her back, half-black and half-white, and the similarly-colored feathers that adorned her left arm in patches like armbands.

"It can't be…that's…" Jade whispered. His usual companions would have been shocked by his unusual consternation.

"Yes…the symbol of your failure and your cowardice, Jade Balfour, and the symbol of my triumph and vindication!" Dist howled. "You never did have the heart to dispose of her, did you? But where you failed, I have now succeeded…Professor Nebilim will finally be resurrected!"

"Don't, you fool!" Jade snapped. "No matter her form, that is…!"

"Don't lecture me, coward! Simply stand there and watch!" And Dist snapped out a command, and energy surged out from the floating woman. She shuddered once, and then there was an explosion…the entire vat disappeared in a massive cloud of smoke. It cleared after many long moments…shards of the sphere littered the ground, but while there was steam still mingling with the smoke, there was no sign of the liquid that had filled the orb. There was, however, the woman, eyes now open, floating in the air, her one wing beating in slow, measured movements.

"Ah…Professor…" Dist murmured, overcome by the object rather than the fact of his accomplishment. "You're finally back…you're really here…."

The hovering woman glanced over at him, a face of uncaring contempt on her. There was a flash of energy and Dist was sent flying violently through several of his apparati and smashing into the wall with chamber-shaking force. He did not stir, did not even twitch, as he lay on the ground.

Jade continued staring, stoicism returning to blank his features, with no other reaction to these events. The woman slowly turned her gaze to the silent man. "You," she murmured. "I remember you…the one who first created me…and the one who tried to kill me."

Jade was silent a few moments more before responding. "Yes…I am the one who made that mistake…both of those mistakes. The mistake of creating you in the first place…and then the mistake of failing to utterly destroy you." He reached up and removed his glasses, then stared down with his eyes half-closed as he deposited the spectacles about his person. Then he raised his face again and opened his eyes, and magical power began to flow out of him more strongly, like a floodgate being opened, his eyes seeming the focus of the surge.

"Oooohhh," commented the pseudo-Nebilim with a wry smile. "You've certainly grown and matured from that foolish brat that first gave birth to me. Your magical presence is impressive…you've even used a dangerous technique to enhance your eyes, which comprise one of the most important conduits of magical energy. Yes, you will be an excellent warm-up for me, something to stretch my power against as I prepare to take my rightful place in this world…."

8-8-8

Archer's shield descended and faded away, revealing Tear, Rin, and Mei. They all stood warily and began to look around. Like Jade, they seemed to be in an important laboratory, but rather than the cluttered marks of a dedicated scientist, there was just a single machine that dominated this massive chamber.

Tear looked over it, from side to side, up to its top, beholding tubes and small chambers built into it, the great altar-like table that was up at its head some distance from her. "What…is that…?" she murmured.

"It would seem we caught the lucky straw," Archer commented. "This…seems like the Replication Engine that the colonel was talking about…."

"The spirit is quite correct," stated a voice behind them, and they turned, readying themselves for combat, as Van entered at the opposite side of the room, flanked by Legretta. "This is our Replication Engine…the heart of Eldrant. The Obsidian Palace itself, of course, is still separate from Eldrant in its power source, being governed by the Obsidian Throne and the Crystal Princess, but my own plans require the engine…and, naturally, it must be one of your primary targets. But before our inevitable battle for the fate of the machine, I should ask you once again." He extended a hand towards his sister. "Tear…you and your friends do not need to suffer or be destroyed. You must realize that your efforts to resist the Obsidian Star are fruitless. Even more, they are counter-intuitive. Everything you've ever dreamed of can now be within your grasp. We can create a world without suffering, sickness, hatred, war, disease and decay. I want my precious sister to be a part of that dream…."

"A 'dream' is nothing but a useless fantasy," snapped Rin before Tear could answer. She stepped forward in front of her companion and made a sweeping gesture of denial. "You're completely ignoring the realities behind all of this; the great prodigy Van Grants is too weak to accept the world as it is and instead is out to destroy it. How pathetic. There's no more to be said. We'll crush you and put a stop to this floating phony!"

Van merely chuckled in reply. "Well…little Rin is always so enthusiastic. Don't worry, I have something for you, as well. Won't you show them, Golden King?"

A figure suddenly materialized next to Van, a figure with spiked golden hair, in golden armor. His eyes were red and somewhat mad, with the madness of a man whose superiority leaves other humans appearing as little more than animals and is quite cognizant of the fact. Rin stuttered and stared as ancient memories of the image came to her. "N-no…you are…my father's spirit…Gilgamesh!?"

"It's been ages, little Rin- _chan_ ," the spirit cooed. "It's endearing that your fiery personality hasn't changed…but now that you're older, I won't be able to support your insubordinate tongue any longer. Even if you are Tokiomi's daughter, you should not address me so informally. I will allow you the simplified address of 'your Majesty' but that is the limit of my magnanimity."

"Gilgamesh?" Tear asked carefully, glancing back and forth between Rin and the golden figure. "As in, the ancient king of Sumeria on Earth?"

"No," replied Archer. "Although you're not far off the mark. This man, like me, is a Heroic Spirit. He is the reincarnated spirit of the grandson of Aeirla Lavertia Elodian Takiva, Gilgamesh, who was named for the famous Sumerian Hero-King, and who gained equal measures of fame and glory here in Arcanus Myrror, so in effect you could consider him the Myrran equivalent…."

"Far more important to Rin, however, is his reincarnated status," Van suddenly put in. "His Majesty was the Heroic Spirit summoned by Rin's father, Tôsaka Tokiomi. But now he is my partner…and the future ruler of Eldrant. For what better ruler for the restored land than the greatest king it has ever known?"

Mei, observing all of this in fear, ventured to join the conversation for the first time. "But…if you were the spirit of Tôsaka- _sama_ …then the fact that he is dead, but you are still here with Van Grants…that means…that you betrayed him…?"

"Call it betrayal if you like, but I never laid a hand upon him," Gilgamesh returned. "He was simply a man with a trace too much arrogance and not nearly enough imagination…and after Van killed him for the Obsidian Star, I was left without a master to bind me to this world. Luckily, Van had both the magical power and a proper concept of my worth, and I was able to stay thanks to his power. Now, Van has stated his desire that you all live, if possible…but if you will not kneel, then you will die…."

In fright, the girls readied their weapons. Van clucked his tongue. "Come now…your valiance and your dedication are admirable, but at this stage they are mere stupidity at their core. The battle is already all but won. The nations and people for whom you toil are base and debauched…they are hardly worthy of such dedicated service. This is your final chance…cast aside those petty loyalties and contribute to a new and glorious world…."

Rin gritted her teeth grimly. "Sorry about this, Tear…even if it's your brother…for what he did to my father…and through that, to my mother…and for the sake of both worlds…I'm going to defeat him." She readied her staff.

Tear stared grimly at her brother. "No…it's all right, Rin. I understand. I, too…for the sake of these worlds…and because he is my brother…he has to be stopped. I'll still stand with you."

"D-don't count me out!" Mei insisted shrilly. "For the sake of Mahora Academy and my _ne-samas_ …I'll fight too!"

Gilgamesh put a hand to his face and began to chuckle, then to laugh uproariously, throwing his head to the heavens. "Ah, it is too much! The audacity of these wenches! But I can't hate them…they certainly are brave, if fatally stupid. I almost hate to get rid of them…so I'll eliminate them with a minimum of fuss." Suddenly the air behind him sprouted a thousand small magical gates, rather reminiscent of golden whirlpools, and weapons began to emerge from those gates, spears and swords of all shapes and sizes. As they stared wide-eyed at the armaments, the weapons suddenly shot at them with such speed and ferocity that they seemed to transform into bolts of golden light.

They danced backwards, dodging, retreated, deflecting what they could, but every impact was like a small explosion. Finally they dodged the last shot of the initial volley and collapsed together, panting heavily and trying to recover their senses. Smirking, Gilgamesh summoned one huge spear and mentally sent it hurtling down towards the three young ladies….

But Archer was suddenly there, slapping aside the weapon and sending it scattering to the side where it vanished. Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So this mongrel of an unknown, nobody 'heroic spirit' wishes to stand in my way now?"

"I'm sorry to say this, Rin, but as it stands you and your companions have no chance against this foe," Archer said to Rin. "You'd be hard-pressed against Van Grants, as well, but…you can take him, right?"

"R-right," Rin agreed with a grim smile as she began to pick herself up. "I hate to ask you to go alone against a monster like that, but…you can at least delay him for ten…no, five minutes, right?"

"You do not even offer due attention, mongrel?" growled Gilgamesh, his mocking smile turning into a snarl of rage. "Then perish in ignominy now!" Again a thousand swirls opened in the sky, letting the weapons emerge, and they began to rain down towards them….

"W-watch out!" Tear cried in despair.

Suddenly an equal number of weapons appeared in the air around them and met the incoming missiles, neutralizing every single one of them. The whole collection, ally and enemy, stared at Archer as he slowly turned to smile wryly up at Gilgamesh. "Of course…but Rin…is it acceptable if, rather than just delaying this foe, I defeat him instead?"

Rin stared at Archer in shock, her mind racing. Her initial perception had been that Gilgamesh's power was overwhelming, and, while certainly brooking no disrespect for her own spirit or her power in summoning him, she had instinctively felt that none of them had a chance against this foe. He was, after all, the reincarnated spirit of one of Arcanus Myrror's greatest hero-kings, the warlord who had truly knit the world together into the Takiva Empire, and even her own spirit, while certainly skilled and capable, was a warrior of unknown ability who could not measure up. But, she realized as she stared up at the confident, almost eager back of her protector, even supposing that instinctively was a disservice to him. Whatever memories he could or could not recall, this man was a warrior who would not dismiss his own abilities; he would do whatever was required no matter the odds, but regardless of his supposed chances, he would not enter battle, even against a foe such as this, believing that it was impossible for him to win.

Finally a smile stole over her face. "Of course," she agreed easily. "Give that stuck-up king a real good one for us. If you could make it back in time to help us against Van, that would be acceptable, too."

Archer chuckled slightly, then conjured his swords. He then flew into the air to meet the sneering golden king. A sword flashed into existence to block the white-bladed and black-bladed weapons of his white-haired foe as Gilgamesh continued to keep his arms folded.

"So…you will not even deign to wield the blade with your own hands," Archer teased. "That's fine. I may not remember a past and identity as renowned and honored as yours, but I have more than enough to deal with the likes of you." There was a pulse of energy, and a black sphere arose to engulf both spikey-haired spirits…and in an instant it faded, and they were gone.

Van stared after them for a moment, then turned as Rin, Tear and Mei came to their feet and brandished their weapons. He let a low, soft chuckle escape from his throat. "Well…that was surprising. I guess there's nothing else for it. Come, Legretta," he continued, slowly drawing his sword. "Let's teach these young upstarts the folly of their decision…."

8-8-8

Kazumi came up gasping and looked around in fright as she was alone. She also seemed to be on the surface of Eldrant…the Obsidian Palace loomed up above her, and eerily-empty buildings blocked out the sight of any more terrain behind her. She could just make out the lights and sounds of the battles up above, and her gaze turned that way for a moment as her mind couldn't help but ponder the fate of those who were fighting in that chaos.

Then the sound of soft footsteps drew her attention back to the palace. A black-clad figure had emerged from the ominous gates and was now walking down the steps towards her—Arietta, Van's monster-whispering assistant. Her two favorite pets accompanied her. "So one was sent outside," Arietta murmured. "We can't let anyone escape…for Van- _sama_ 's sake, I'll crush you." The cat and bird prepared to launch themselves as she extended her raggedy doll.

Fear shot through Kazumi instinctively. She had never been one for fighting, had never taken to combat or the real use of magic, for that matter. But as she had trained so hard to put at least her artifact to use, she knew she could do at least this much. She was alone now, without Kain or Kiami or even Yukari and Kenjirô or anyone to aid her. Well…except for the manifestations of her power, the spirits she could summon. She grasped the orb dangling from her throat. "Come…Ember Spirit!"

A blaze of fire erupted before her, taking form and flashing out into a red-skinned humanoid dressed in a rather flamboyant Arab dress, two scimitars in his hands. He flourished his weapons as Kazumi focused her attention on her opponent. "You won't find it that easy," she declared. "We've been through so much…we're going home now, all of us, back to Earth! Even if we have to go through you!"

8-8-8

A spell from each of them brought Lina and Zelgadis to light upon the ground with ease, but Gourry, as usual, hit heavily despite the relatively short distance. The two wizards looked around with wariness but little concern as Gourry picked himself up. "Where are we?" Lina muttered.

"Well…right where I wanted to be, at least," Zelgadis replied. His dull eyes were almost shining with delight as he glanced around, surveying the laboratory. It was far more organized than Dist's, but it contained an even greater variety of specimens and databanks. "This…it looks familiar…."

"Some of it belonged to my predecessor, Horius," replied a new voice, and they started and whirled around, combat-ready, as Corai literally appeared behind them. "It was rather troublesome to pack together three scientists' worth of materials and notes, but it's the way things go. It's not nearly as troublesome as rats being dumped right in my precious lab…really, couldn't those fools have done a better job with that spell…?"

"You…just who are you, exactly?" Lina demanded. "You're…you look like Horius, but…."

"It may interest you to know that I am Horius," he informed her, "as well as his brothers, Kalovus and Koltas. After all three were killed, they were reborn as a single being—me. So, Zelgadis, you have indeed found what you're looking for—the living person who knows the most about chimeras and similar creations."

Zelgadis readied his sword. "Is that so? Then I don't suppose you'd be willing to share any of that information with us…?"

Corai grinned at him. "Well…you will be free to any knowledge you can find…if you return here." There was another warp in reality that began around Corai and overtook all of them.

"What, _another_ warp spell!?" Lina groaned in disgust.

The warp faded, and they were now on a larger island underneath the main continent of Eldrant. "I apologize," Corai said, "but you can understand that I do not wish that any great battles take place inside my laboratory. Here…no one needs to worry about holding back…."

8-8-8

Kiami touched ground and immediately whipped her cloth around, letting her burden fall out. Akari, Delryn, Kenjirô, Yukari, Miki, Izumi, Riza, Riku, Kaoru, Yue and Nodoka all collapsed onto the ground. "Urk," Yue muttered. "Thank you, Kiami- _san_ …."

"Nice job grabbing so many of us," Kenjirô pointed out. "So…where are we?"

"It seems like we're still inside the palace," Kiami replied. "I'd say…likely fifty floors or so up. Still a long way to go, but I think we are a bit fortunate…I assume our other colleagues were taken to battles…."

"Still, isn't this about the worst possible situation?" Miki demanded. "The whole idea was to move as a group so that we could protect ourselves better, but now we've been split up…and we've actually been thrown ahead! Even though our information on traps was supposed to be fool-proof! Obviously, now, we should wait for more of our companions, especially Kain- _sensei_ , or at least go find them…."

"You're only saying that because you're worried about your own skin," Riku snapped in disgust. "We knew already that this was going to be a dangerous situation."

"That's right," Delryn agreed. "This is actually an opportunity. We should get an automatic win if we can reach the top and rescue Mai. Now…we're in prime position to do that. Nodoka…do you still have the information on this place?"

"Y-yes!" Nodoka replied, opening her book again. "But, as we saw, it might not be reliable…."

"They had one large trap prepared, but I doubt our enemies could have changed much more on such short notice, not with how major that last one was," Kiami pointed out. "From this stage, it should be completely reliable. Now…you guys need to get going."

"That's right," Akari agreed as Obsidian soldiers began to fill the large hallway and move towards them. She slammed her fists together and assumed a ready stance. "The fighters can stay and deal with these…Yukari- _chan_ , you have the good stealth artifact, right? Take everyone else and go to Mai- _buchô_!"

Delryn drew his sword. "Kenji, you go with them and keep them safe just in case. These two ladies and I will take care of this."

"It's a deal," Kenjirô replied, taking Yukari's hand and then Riza's. "Yukari, it's on you…you know what to do, right?"

"Y-yeah," Yukari agreed as she turned to watch the group form up, Riza grabbing Miki's hand, who grabbed Izumi's hand, who took Kaoru's hand, who took Riku's hand, who took Yue's hand, who took Nodoka's hand. Then she manifested her artifact from her card and pushed the mask around her face. The entire line of connected humans vanished as Kiami, Akari and Delryn threw themselves into battle.

8-8-8

Back inside the Governor-General's palace, the sounds of the battle outside could still be plainly heard. She seemed undaunted, but every terrible sound and even more significant tremor that she alone felt deep inside resonated chillingly in Mashiro's heart as Fumi wheeled her back down the hall of the infirmary.

The maid stopped in front of Nina's room, and, with no one watching in the eerily deserted hallway, Mashiro suddenly rose from the wheelchair and, opening the door, entered the room herself. Nina lay as still and silent as ever, and Sargon was still in the room sleeping in his chair as it sat against the far wall. Mashiro approached the sleeping young HiME and looked down at her kindly. "Awaken," she intoned softly.

Nina's eyes opened immediately, not with a gradual flutter, nor yet with a sudden start, but without hurry or delay, and she sat up in much the same manner. She turned to stare at Mashiro. "Miss Mashiro…what is going on? I remember taking that attack…am I alive, or dead?"

"The answer to that question is equally both, and neither," Mashiro replied. "Which is why you fall under my jurisdiction now. You will come to understand. Normally I would not interfere in situations like this, but the fates of countless lives are at stake. You can be of help." She raised a fist and opened her hand, revealing two shining blue-green GEMs. "There is no time to explain, so I will cut right to the chase: I am giving you an opportunity to aid against the Obsidian Star. Take this GEM, the Neptune Aquamarine, and I will send you directly into the battle. Will you go and save your friends?"

Nina stared at Mashiro, then down at them, then glanced back at her sleeping father. Finally she returned her gaze to the child-president. "Yes," she replied, taking the GEM. Instinctively, knowing somehow that it would be so, she put the small stone in the empty socket by her earring, the socket that should have been—but wasn't—filled with her temporary Pearl. She leveled a serious stare, her eyes narrowing and finally coming fully alive as Mashiro added the gem to her unique signet ring. "I understand, Mashiro- _sama_. I will serve you in this. For my father, my kingdom…and my friends."

F I N

 _Author's Note: Transition_

 _It is, I admit, a rather weird stopping point for an Act, but the usual end-chapter meaningless character comments like Eminus saying 'I'm waiting for you, Kain' have all already been done, and I don't feel like repeating them. This is as good a way to finish it as any. The battle have started…they continue, and conclude, next Act. So let's go ahead and move forward!_


End file.
